Devil In The Mirror
by Pastasaurus
Summary: Dragon Slayer. Monster Hunter. Wizard of Fairy Tail. As a Member of Fairy Tail, Shisui Karasuma's life is anything but boring. This is the story of a First Generation Dragon Slayer who will realise the chaos of his Wizard Guild pales in comparison to his past and, ultimately, his future as a Dragon Slayer. Multiple future pairings. OC is MC. Combines elements from other franchises.
1. What Dwells In The Shadows

Chapter One – What Dwells In The Shadows

"You want me to what?" A voice whispered in shock.

"You heard me; I want you to kill me," A deep voice growled in response.

"You cannot be serious. You might be a dragon, but you're still my father! Skiadrum, please… Don't make me do this," The voice replied.

"I am very serious, child. I am not of the proper constitution to be able to live much longer. If you kill me, your Dragon Slayer Powers would be unmatched by all others. You would be unstoppable," Skiadrum stated; his deep, red eyes focused directly on the boy in front of him.

"Power means nothing if I have no-one to protect. You were the one who taught me that," The boy replied defiantly, earning a small chuckle from Skiadrum.

"You were quick on the uptake with my teachings, weren't you? Kill me, and you will have all the power you need to protect those who will enter your life in the future. There is nothing to fear, my son," Skiadrum growled quietly as he lowered his head to the boy.

"No. I refuse to spill your blood just to get more power. You were the one who made me this powerful. Why can't you find some other way to give me more power? One that doesn't involve me killing you," The boy shouted, standing his ground.

"You truly are my son, aren't you, Shisui? Defiant to the very end. If you don't want to kill me, then I will just have to force you…" Skiadrum sighed, glaring at his son, who began to move without being in control.

"What are you doing?! Stop this, please!" Shisui shouted as he struggled to stop himself from grabbing the sword that was strapped to his back.

"That sword… You remember when I first gave it to you, don't you? I told you it was the only sword in existence that could slay a Dragon. I gave it to you for this exact reason," Skiadrum growled as he forced Shisui to unsheathe the blade, which was as black as Skiadrum himself.

"No! You can't do this! I won't let you!" Shisui shouted desperately, as he unwillingly raised the black blade over his head, positioned directly over Skiadrum's neck.

"You have no choice, I'm afraid. This is my last gift to you, my child; unrivalled power in the art of Dragon Slayer Magic. Use it to protect those you care about with all your heart. Remember what I have taught you, and you will never falter in your convictions. I am proud of you… Shisui," Skiadrum whispered, the faintest of smiles appearing on his face as he forced Shisui's sword down on his neck.

"NO! SKIADRUM!" Shisui yelled as the blade cut through Skiadrum's hide, before everything went black.

* * *

"SKIADRUM!" Shisui yelled, sitting bolt upright, covered in sweat.

He took a few deep breaths and observed his surroundings. He was in his bed in the living quarters of his Wizard Guild; Fairy Tail.

"That's the third time you've had that nightmare this week, my boy. I think we need to talk about it," A voice spoke from the doorway of Shisui's room.

Focusing his eyes to adjust to the darkness, Shisui saw the short form of one Makarov Dreyar; Fairy Tail's current Master.

"No thanks, Master. It's not a problem… I'll get over it," Shisui responded, lying back down in his bed once more.

"You've been saying that for the past six months. I've already got one stubborn child on my hands; I'm not about to have two. Now speak," Makarov demanded as he leapt up onto Shisui's bed, used a magic spell to create a small orb of light next to his head and sat down, looking at the young man before him.

Shisui was a sixteen year old boy with black hair and golden eyes. He was very tall for his age, being several inches taller than Makarov's Grandson, Laxus, despite the latter being one year older. His hair, while currently bedraggled, was usually slicked back over his head, with the ends flaring out slightly at the back.

"Where do I begin…? I don't know, for some reason, I've been having this recurring dream of killing my father, the Shadow Dragon, Skiadrum. The thing is, at first I was certain it wasn't true, but the more it happens, the more doubtful I become," Shisui began.

"I see, and why do you doubt that it's nothing more than a nightmare?" Makarov asked, stroking his moustache in thought.

"Well, it's always the same dream. I mean _exactly_ the same. The more I see it, the more I start to think it's not just a bad dream, but in fact a memory," Shisui explained.

"Tell me; what happens in this dream? I imagine you'll be able to tell me, since you say it's always the same," Makarov asked, looking at the boy.

"It begins with Skiadrum telling me to kill him so that I can gain more power as a Dragon Slayer. I refuse, so he ends up controlling me somehow, making me use Moonblade to cut his head off. However, the dream always ends as soon as my blade touches his neck," Shisui grimaced at the recollection of the dream.

"Hmm… And this 'Moonblade' is…?" Makarov asked, looking a little confused.

"It's the black longsword that I carry with me. It was a gift from Skiadrum. It was forged by combining his Dragon Scales, Shadow Dragon Magic, and Dragon Fire with Tephrite. That is the result," Shisui pointed to the long, thin sword that was currently sheathed and lying up against the wall in the corner of his room.

"Tephrite is very rare, and very hard to come by. Where did you find such a material?" Makarov asked, looking over at the sword.

"I didn't find it; Skiadrum was the one who got it for my tenth birthday. I had no idea why he'd give me a weapon capable of slaying a dragon… Until now," Shisui frowned.

"Listen to me, child; don't let a recurring nightmare alter your perception of reality. This dream of yours has changed you, and not for the better. If you'll excuse the pun; you're but a shadow of the boy I found eighteen months ago and asked to join this guild. In the past six months, these nightmares have become more frequent, and I can see it's affecting your ability to be an effective Wizard. Something must be done, and soon," Makarov said.

"What, you're not going to kick me out of the Guild, are you?!" Shisui cried, sitting up and looking at the Master with a worried expression.

"Of course not, my boy. The day you joined this guild is the day you became one of my children, and I never abandon my children for anything. I just worry for your future if you cannot get past this problem. You've been a part of Fairy Tail for about eighteen months, but over the past six months, you've become more shy and closed off. You isolate yourself and it's affecting your relationship with the others in the guild. Where's that confident, outgoing young man I met eighteen months ago and asked to join Fairy Tail?" Makarov stated, looking at Shisui and waiting for an answer.

"I don't know, Master. I… I guess I'm just worried what the others will think of me," Shisui said.

"Hmm? What do you mean by that, Shisui?" Makarov asked, looking at the young boy.

"I'm worried that everyone will see me as something to be feared. I mean, when word gets out that I might have killed a dragon, people will talk. The story will get passed around person to person and the next thing you know, it'll be said that I killed fifty dragons and used their blood to grant me eternal life," Shisui muttered, rolling his eyes at how stupid rumours and conjecture could become.

"Well, _did_ you kill fifty dragons and use their blood to give yourself eternal life?" Makarov asked, causing Shisui to do a double-take.

"What? No! Of course not!" Shisui shouted, surprised Makarov would even ask such a question.

"Then why worry? The way I see it, when people hear rumours about themselves and get defensive, it means they have something to hide. If you try and shut yourself off from others for fear of what they think of you, that'll only make things worse. Remember this; every rumour is built on a kernel of truth. For instance, the statement 'Shisui used Moonblade to slay fifty dragons and used their blood to gain immortality' has only one truth to it; the fact you use a sword called 'Moonblade', which is capable of slaying dragons. The rest is pure balderdash, but there's still an element of truth in there, isn't there?" Makarov explained, earning a nod of understanding from Shisui.

"You're right, Master. What you said makes a lot of sense," Shisui said with a small grin.

"Very good, now if you can remember that, I'm sure you'll be fine. That's not to say I expect things to change overnight. Just take it slowly and hopefully we see a return to the boy I first met eighteen months ago," Makarov smiled as he hopped down from Shisui's bed and began to leave the room. "You have the potential to be an excellent Wizard. It would be a shame for you not to achieve such goals all because you're worried what others will think. When you get to my age, you'll realise what others think of you mean nothing; what matters is what you yourself think, and what your loved ones think. Goodnight, Shisui,"

"Goodnight, Master," Shisui responded before lying down and returning to sleep.

* * *

The next morning was like any other in the Fairy Tail Guild; chaotic. With most of the Guild's 'Newest Generation' barely out of single digits in regards to their age, there was lots of shouting and running about in the Guild Hall. It was a wonder that people didn't mistake Fairy Tail for being a nursery, instead of a reputable Wizard Guild.

After his talk with Makarov last night, Shisui decided it would be best to try and converse with some of the other Guild Members… Right after he finished reading his book. It wasn't that Shisui didn't like others, far from it. It was more the fact that he was in an age category where he was too old to be around most of the younger Guild Members, but too young to get involved with the affairs of the adults in the Guild.

Shisui was in a group of his own; his own circle of Limbo, where the only other people that were his age were Laxus, and two of his 'friends'; Freid Justine and Bickslow. Between the four of them, they were the only teenagers currently in Fairy Tail who hadn't just turned thirteen, which was partly the reason they were both drawn to Laxus to begin with.

While Laxus was the oldest, he didn't really care much for his little entourage. He preferred to be by himself and just listen to his music, but having two of the oldest kids in the Guild at his side meant the younger ones were more intimidated, meaning they'd do their best to keep clear of Laxus. Except for one…

"Hey, Laxus!" A young boy with pink hair yelled across the Guild Hall. "I challenge you to a battle!"

"Tch, get lost, Natsu. You do this all the time and I can still kick your ass without trying," Laxus scoffed before putting his hands in pockets and walked off.

"Don't turn your back on your opponent, Laxus!" Natsu yelled as he leapt at Laxus, his fists coated in fire.

Laxus merely sighed as he ducked Natsu's attack, causing the young, pink haired boy to hit the floor and skid across it, before crashing into a table, breaking it in the process.

"See, what did I say? I didn't even have to touch you and you still lost," Laxus smirked, which only served to irritate Natsu.

"Oh, yeah?! I'll show you!" Natsu shouted as he stood up and charged towards Laxus, coating his hand in fire once more. "Fire Dragon Iron–!" Natsu was cut off by Laxus grabbing his outstretched hand and flinging him across the Guild Hall, sending him right through the table Shisui was sat at.

Scowling, Shisui snapped his book shut, stood up and brushed down his black coat before walking away from the carnage that Natsu and Laxus were creating, to find a quieter spot. Looking around, he noticed a table off in the far corner that was occupied by a lone girl, who had several books sprawled out all over the table. Shrugging, Shisui decided to go over and introduce himself.

"Hey, what's your name? I don't think we've properly met before," Shisui began, looking down at the young girl.

The girl in question was very young; Shisui guessed she couldn't be any older than eleven. She was really small and skinny, and had bright blue, shoulder length hair.

"Huh? Oh, hi! I'm Levy McGarden! It's nice to meet you… Umm… I don't know your name," Levy frowned when she realised she didn't know Shisui. "Are you a ninja? I can't see your face,"

Shisui was wearing a black coat with a high collar that hid the lower half of his face. All Levy could see was his black hair and golden eyes.

"No, I'm not a ninja, though my powers would perhaps contradict that statement. As for my name, it's Shisui. Shisui Karasuma," Shisui sat down at the table across from Levy.

"Huh? I don't get it? What kind of magic do you use then?" Levy asked, looking at Shisui with confusion.

"Here… I'll show you," Shisui said before he clicked his fingers and, much to Levy's shock, exploded into a cloud of black smoke.

The smoke began to move of its own accord, slowly floating through the air as it began to swirl around Levy before it all gathered in the seat next to her. The next thing Levy knew, Shisui was sat right next to her.

"Woooooow! How'd you do that?!" Levy looked at Shisui in awe. Shisui couldn't help but chuckle.

"I am the Shadow Dragon Slayer; I control shadows and can even become one. What you just saw was a little trick I created. It's very useful for surprising people, or going through doors or windows when they're shut. So long as it's not airtight," Shisui turned to Levy. "What kind of magic do you use, little one?"

"Hey, I'm not little! You're just older and bigger than me!" Levy pouted. "But I use Script Magic. Whatever I write takes on that form. Here, let me show you! Solid Script; Fire!" Levy cast her spell and the word 'Fire' materialised in the air, and just like she said, the word took the form of fire… Unfortunately for Levy, she couldn't hold the spell in the air for very long and she accidentally dropped it, setting fire to the table.

In a flash, Shisui put his hand on Levy's shoulder and burst into black smoke again, taking Levy with him. They both materialised over by the bar, much to Levy's shock.

"Woah… That felt so weird…" Levy gasped, looking at her hands to see if they were still there.

"It'll take some getting used to. The first time is always the hardest. I couldn't walk properly after I tried it because I couldn't feel my legs, so you're doing just fine," Shisui commented, making the small girl grin widely at him.

"Fire! Everyone panic!" Someone yelled out, causing everyone to begin screaming and running about like madmen.

"Fire? Let me at it! Fire is my specialty! Fire Dragon Roar!" Natsu yelled as he began to breathe fire, which made the whole situation worse.

"Natsu, you idiot! Think before you act!" A young, half-naked boy shouted at Natsu before hitting him in the head.

"Ow! What the hell was that for, Gray?!" Natsu yelled, as both he and Gray butted heads and glared at one another.

"Wow, would you look at that fire! It's so powerful!" A tall, young boy with snowy white hair commented, watching the blazing inferno with shock and a little bit of fear.

"You're shaking, Big Brother Elfman! Are you alright?" A short young girl, also with snowy white hair, asked while using her big brother as a shield from the intense heat.

"Aw, c'mon Lisanna! I'm not scared! I just… Well, I'm just shocked by how intense it is!" Elfman stated.

"I never said you were scared, big brother…" Lisanna replied, looking up at her brother, who was still shaking.

"Is anyone going to put this fire out?" Shisui asked, as he looked at Levy with a raised eyebrow.

"I don't know. I would have been able to put it out with my Script Magic, but Natsu came along and made it worse!" Levy cried, pointing at Natsu.

"I think you mean I made it better!" Natsu said proudly.

"Natsu, you imbecile! What have you done now?!" Makarov yelled as he came down the stairs from the second floor.

"Heya, Gramps! I'm just telling everyone how awesome I am with my magic skills! Look!" Natsu pointed to the fire he had made worse, which was growing larger by the second.

"I'll deal with you later, child! Right now, I need all water magic users to form up and douse those flames before we lose our entire Guild Hall!" Makarov shouted, trying his best to remain calm.

"Right! Does anyone use water magic here?" Someone asked.

"Yeah, Gray does!" Natsu pointed to the still half-naked boy.

"I use Ice Magic, you moron! My magic wouldn't do anything to that fire except turn to steam!" Gray yelled in annoyance.

"Well, if you'll excuse the pun, we're all hosed," Bickslow frowned as he, Freid and Laxus merely watched from afar.

"Looks like I'll have to do something about it then…" Shisui muttered to himself as he got up out of his seat and walked over to the epicentre of the blaze and held a hand out over it.

"What is he–?" Natsu began, but was quickly hushed by Makarov.

"Just watch, child. You'll see…" Makarov said, his lips turning up into a grin. He knew what was coming.

Shisui held his hand over the fire, and after a few seconds a small, dark purple magic circle appeared in front of him.

"Dampen… Amaterasu; Formula Fifty-Six," Shisui muttered.

As soon as Shisui spoke, dozens of dark purple magic circles began to surround the fire, and within seconds, the fire was beginning to die down. After a long fifteen seconds, all the fire had been extinguished.

No-one in the Guild Hall moved. All were staring in awe at the young man who had single handedly extinguished a raging inferno that even the most seasoned Water Wizards would have struggled to contain.

"How did he do that?" Gray asked, looking on in shock. He had somehow managed to lose his pants in the meantime and was now standing in his boxers.

"I don't know, but that was most impressive," Freid muttered, before realising what he had said. "Oh, but it's nothing compared to what you can do, Laxus! I'm sure you could have put out that fire in your sleep!" Freid began to laugh nervously as he scratched the back of his head.

"Tch, it wasn't _that_ impressive. It's just fire, it's not like it can fight back," A short girl commented. She, like Lisanna and Elfman had snow white hair, but she was dressed in a gothic-style outfit; tight, black, revealing clothing.

"Oh, come on, big sis! The way that guy handled that fire. He's one awesome Wizard!" Elfman shouted, pumping his fist in the air.

"I have to agree with Big Brother Elfman, Mirajane. That was really something," Lisanna agreed as they all stared at Shisui.

While his back was turned to the entire Guild Hall, Shisui knew everyone was watching him. He could feel dozens of pairs of eyes staring at him. He felt like his back was full of knives. With his back still turned to the other Guild Members, Shisui raised his right hand into the air, which confused everyone except Makarov and Levy.

With a snap of his fingers, Shisui exploded into black smoke once again, which quickly began to find its way to the nearest exit. Once the black smoke had filtered its way out of the main door, everyone looked around with even more confusion.

"Hey, where did he go?" Lisanna asked.

"Well, that was certainly unexpected. Who knew he could do that?" Freid stated.

"Hey, Gramps! What just happened? Where'd Shisui go and what did he do to my fire?" Natsu asked, clearly disappointed by the fact his fire had been extinguished so easily.

"I don't know if I should tell you this, but you're all aware of how quiet and reserved Shisui has become recently, haven't you?" Makarov asked, getting nods out of most people present, but looks of confusion from Levy, Lisanna, Elfman, and Mirajane. "He's been struggling with some things and he's become worried that you'll condemn him for what happened, should it be true,"

"Come on, Gramps. Get to the point while we're still young," Natsu commented, earning a smack over the head from Laxus.

"Look, you all know Shisui is the Shadow Dragon Slayer, and if you didn't, now you do. The thing is, he's been having nightmares recently. In them, his dragon asked that he kill him, but when he refused, his dragon forced him to do it," Makarov explained, earning shocked gasps from several people, but Natsu growled in anger.

"That bastard killed his dragon?! Alright, where is he? I'm going to kick his ass!" Natsu shouted before he ran off towards the door, but was held back by Makarov.

"See, this is exactly what he's so afraid of. We are his family and how we all see him means more to him than anything else. He's afraid you will all fear him or, in Natsu's case, get angry at him. Like I said, these are nightmares. I do not know if they are simply that, or repressed memories. What I do know is that, regardless of whether or not these dreams are in fact memories, we should treat him no differently than normal. He is still our Shisui; nothing will ever change that," Makarov stated.

"To hell with that! He killed his dragon! How selfish have you got to be to do something so–!" Natsu shouted, as he began to flail about in an attempt to break free from Makarov's grip, but was subsequently silenced when Laxus punched him in the back of the head, knocking him out cold.

"Stubborn brat. Listen to the Old Man for once…" Laxus sighed as he slung the unconscious Natsu over his shoulder. "Hey, Gramps, just what technique did Shisui even use?"

"Ah, that… Well, it should be known that, aside from being the Shadow Dragon Slayer, he is also a tactical genius and a natural at casting magic. The spell you all witnessed is his own formula of Amaterasu. While it's normally used for pure destruction, Shisui has been able to create his own formula by using fifty-six seals to obliterate the air within his casting area. Since fire needs oxygen to grow, the removal of that vital ingredient simply snuffed the fire out by suffocating it," Makarov explained.

"Wait, he obliterates the air? First, how is that even possible? Second, what happens if someone is in his casting range? Surely they'd be killed too. Humans need oxygen to live as well, you know," Mirajane scoffed.

"It's possible by casting Amaterasu, not only on the air, but the ethernano itself. From his way of telling it, by focusing his magic on the ethernano in the air and destroying it, the particles form a sort of vacuum that sucks the air out of everything. As for its lethality to humans , there's a reason I said he was a tactical genius. He's tweaked the spell so much that it's totally harmless to any living creature," Makarov grinned when everyone looked at him with shock.

"How's he been able to do that? It sounds impossible," Gray asked as he tried to wrap his head around the whole thing.

"That is actually quite simple to explain. When Wizards absorb ethernano from the air, it gains a positive electrical charge that attracts it to our bodies, much like a hunk of metal to a magnet, where our bodies are the magnets and the ethernano is the metal. By focusing the spell on ethernano particles that have no charge, he's able to single out the neutral particles, while leaving ones with a positive charge untouched. Since ethernano particles pick up this charge from a certain distance away, by ignoring those positively charged particles, there is a small pocket of breathable air that surrounds you, allowing you to be able to survive, should you get caught in the casting range of his spell," Makarov finished.

"My head hurts…" Lisanna said, as she struggled to process everything the Master had just told her.

"Yes, well, what can I say? The explanation was far too technical for you all to understand, so don't worry if you don't get it," Makarov laughed.

"Hmph… I get it, but it's not _that_ impressive. I bet I could do it if I had enough time," Mirajane scowled, crossing her arms over her small, undeveloped chest.

"When you get older, my dear, you'll understand just how impressive that boy is. It's both admirable and a shame that he cares too much about what the people he cares about the most thinks of him…" Makarov sighed as he looked out the window, wondering where Shisui had smoked off to in order to hide away for a while.

* * *

"Well, that was a complete pain… I bet the Master is telling them all that I'm some kind of genius right now too. Great…" Shisui sighed as he materialised in a large tree outside of the Guild Hall. He sat down on a large branch with his back against the trunk and one leg dangling in mid-air before he pulled out his book and began reading again.

It wasn't long before Shisui heard a sound and realised he had been discovered. As a Dragon Slayer, Shisui's senses were incredibly sensitive and he knew exactly who it was just from their scent.

"What do you want, Laxus?" Shisui asked without looking up from his book.

Sure enough, a few seconds later, the Master's Grandson was standing on a nearby branch, leaning up against the trunk.

"I thought I'd find you here. As intelligent as the Old Man makes you out to be, you have a terrible sense of habit," Laxus said with a smirk.

"If you've come to insult me, I'll be more than happy to go somewhere not even you could hope to find me," Shisui scowled, which Laxus missed due to the fact his face was hidden by his book.

"No, I came here to ask you when you were able to perform a spell like Amaterasu. That's experienced stuff," Laxus asked, looking at the cloaked boy across from him.

"It's no big deal. It's relatively simple, once you understand how it works," Shisui shrugged.

"Yeah, but focusing the spell on ethernano with a neutral charge to make it harmless to living beings? I doubt even the First Master could've done such a thing," Laxus stated. He wasn't really one for praise, but he knew an impressive feat when he saw one.

"Yeah, well, when you're like me, you tend to have a lot of time to yourself to learn new things," Shisui raised his eyes to look at Laxus.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Laxus asked, raising an eyebrow.

"It means when people are hesitant to go near you out of fear, you don't have the distractions of other people interfering with your training," Shisui stated, putting his book down and looking directly at Laxus.

"Tch, you're such an idiot. That crap is all in your head. No-one is afraid of you and unless you give them reason to, then they won't ever fear you," Laxus shook his head.

"How's supposedly killing–" Shisui began, before being cut off by Laxus.

"Killing your dragon? Who cares?" Laxus stated, holding up a hand to silence Shisui. "The Old Man told us everything, and like I said, who cares? Sure, Natsu might, as he's also a Dragon Slayer, but the kid's a moron. You saw that just before. However, the key word is 'supposedly'. Even you don't know if it's a dream or a memory you've blocked out. Either way, what difference does it make? Killing your dragon or not, you've got the power and ability to protect everyone in this Guild; I would think that would be something you'd want,"

"Right, and what happens when everyone begins to fear me and my power? It's best to isolate myself from them before that happens," Shisui shrugged.

"If that branch you were sat on could hold two people, I'd come over there and pound the shit out of you. Would you listen to yourself? Isolating yourself from others because you think it will be easier on them? Don't make me laugh," Laxus snapped. "I saw the way you and that Levy kid got on just before. She was captivated by what you could do. As young as she is, she's smart enough to think for herself and I'm sure she knows how powerful a Wizard you are, but was she scared of you? No. In fact, after what the Old Man told us, everyone was really impressed with your skills… Well, except Mirajane, but she's a bitch anyway,"

"That's a little harsh, isn't it? Those kids just lost their parents a couple months ago; they're obviously still grieving," Shisui said, raising an eyebrow.

"Maybe so, but look at Lisanna and Elfman. You don't see them acting like assholes to everyone," Laxus replied with a shrug.

"No, but they're younger than Mirajane. They probably don't understand the impact of losing their parents," Shisui reasoned.

"Oh, come on! Even you can't be _that_ stupid! Elfman is a year younger than Mirajane, and Lisanna is a year younger than him; both of them are old enough to understand the impact of losing family. Hell, even you and Natsu understand that impact. You isolate yourself for selfish reasons and Natsu's just an idiot who destroys things and gets into fights," Laxus replied.

"Aside from flinging insults, what's your point?" Shisui asked, getting tired of Laxus' insults.

"My point is everyone deals with grief differently, but there comes a point when the pain of grief vanishes and you just become a dick. Mirajane is far past that point, in my eyes," Laxus stated.

"Oh, and what about you? What's your excuse for acting like a dick?" Shisui asked, smirking at Laxus.

"Mine? Heh, I'm just a selfish bastard. You can thank my deadbeat father for that," Laxus laughed. "However, if you're feeling brave, how about you go try talking to Mirajane? You're probably the only outside party that has the intelligence to get through to her, but that's up to you. Just think on what I said, alright?" Laxus nodded at Shisui before jumping out of the tree and returning to the Guild Hall.

Shisui, meanwhile, returned to his book. However, he found it difficult to focus on, as he spent the next five minutes reading the same line over and over again. Sighing, he closed his book and put it back inside his coat before standing up and deciding to go back into the Guild Hall.

* * *

When Shisui stepped back into the Guild Hall, he decided that he would go see what Levy was up to. Their initial meeting had been cut short by the accidental fire Levy had caused, and he was feeling guilty about it, as he was the reason she used her magic in the first place.

Just like before, Levy was sat at a table with her books, but this time she was in the company of another young girl. The girl was around the same age as Levy and had long, dark hair that was tied up into a ponytail. Shisui knew that Levy was talking to none other than Cana Alberona.

"Hiya, Shisui! Where did you go earlier?" Levy asked as she waved to Shisui; a large smile was on her face.

"Oh, nowhere in particular. I just needed some time to myself. Casting that Amaterasu took a lot out of me," Shisui replied. It wasn't a total lie, as it did take a lot of magic energy to cast, but it wasn't something that could slow him down under normal circumstances.

"Oh… I'm sorry about that. I guess I still need to practice my magic and get stronger at it, huh?" Levy said with a frown.

"Why are you apologising, Levy? It wasn't your fault things got out of hand. We have Natsu to thank for that," Cana looked over at Natsu, who was locking horns with Gray once again.

"So, Cana, what do your cards say today? Is he coming back soon?" Shisui asked, causing Levy to look at the pair with confusion.

"No, it doesn't look like it. I just don't get why he doesn't stick around for very long before taking another job…" Cana whispered.

"Don't take it to heart. I'm sure he would retain more of a presence in the Guild if he knew. I know it's only been six weeks since he left again, but I'm sure he'll be back before you know it," Shisui placed a hand on Cana's head.

"What are you guys talking about?" Levy asked, unable to decipher the conversation that was unfolding before her.

Shisui looked at Cana expectantly. She was one of the few people in the Guild who he understood. Cana was meek and shy at the best of times. Always looking for the opportunity to fulfil the reason of joining Fairy Tail.

"I'm waiting for my father to return from a job. He's Fairy Tail's strongest Wizard, after Master Makarov, so his services are in high demand," Cana said, a sad smile on her face at the mention of her father.

"Your father is a Fairy Tail Wizard? That's so cool! I bet you're looking forward to the day you're old enough to go out on a job with him, huh?" Levy said with excitement.

"Well, I suppose, but…" Cana began, before she looked up at Shisui, who simply nodded in encouragement. "He doesn't know I'm his daughter,"

"What? How can he not know that?!" Levy asked in astonishment.

"Like I said, his skills as a Wizard mean he's always wanted by people for long, difficult jobs. As such, he's barely around and when he is, it's only to pick up another job request. A long time ago, he and my mother met and got married, but because of his dedication to his work, she ended up leaving him. When she died a few years ago, she left a message telling me who my father was and the story between them. I immediately came to Fairy Tail to find and tell him, but I could never find the courage to say it," Cana explained, causing Levy to frown.

"That's so sad… I'm guessing you told Shisui because you knew you could trust him, huh?" Levy replied, looking at Shisui with a large grin.

"Actually… I didn't tell him," Cana replied, confusing Levy.

"Wait, then how did he know? I saw that look you two shared before. You were looking at him to see if you should tell me," Levy stated, surprising Cana with her perceptibility.

"This is going to sound crazy, but… He kinda guessed," Cana shrugged weakly.

"He guessed?!" Levy repeated, not quite believing it. "Oh, I see, you two must look a lot alike, so he was able to figure it out,"

"Not exactly. You've seen my father before. His name is Gildarts Clive," Cana responded, causing Levy to go slack-jawed.

"What?! But he looks nothing like you! I mean, you look nothing like him! How'd you figure it out?!" Levy almost demanded, pointing at Shisui.

"Deductive reasoning," Shisui chuckled. "In the eighteen months since I joined Fairy Tail, I've only seen Gildarts a handful of times, but each time he was here, I saw a look in Cana's eyes. A look of longing. I could tell the man meant something to her, and given the difference in age, it wasn't hard to figure out Gildarts must have been her father,"

"Deductive reasoning, huh…? I suppose that makes sense. Master Makarov did say you were a genius, after all!" Levy said happily.

"An over-exaggeration to be sure. I might be intelligent and good with magic, but 'genius' might be stretching it," Shisui waved dismissively. "Needless to say, ever since I figured it out, I've been this little one's closest friend. If something's bothering her, she'll always come find me,"

"Yeah, but you've been making that difficult lately. I just want you to know that I'll never be afraid of you, Shisui. So what if you were forced to kill your dragon? You'll still be the same person to me," Cana smiled before she hugged Shisui.

"Thank you, Cana… That means a lot," Shisui murmured, gently stroking the top of her head with a gloved hand.

"Yeah, same here! A person who likes books can't be all that scary! I think you're a nice person, so that's how I'll always see you!" Levy laughed happily.

While no-one could see the lower half of his face, due to it being obstructed by his jacket's high collar, Shisui had a smile on his face. He silently thanked Makarov for telling people why he had become so distant recently. He knew that he'd never be able to tell people, as he was worried they would be afraid of him and his power.

It seemed his fears were unfounded, as everyone seemed to accept him, regardless of the possibility that he may or may not have killed his dragon. Everyone except…

"Hey, you! Yeah, I'm talking to you!" An angry voice shouted from across the Guild Hall. Shisui turned around in his seat and saw Natsu was marching towards him.

"Oh, here we go…" Laxus muttered.

"Is there something I can help you with, Natsu?" Shisui asked, turning around in his seat to face the small boy.

"Gramps told me you killed your dragon! Just what the hell kind of sick person does that anyway?!" Natsu yelled, pointing at Shisui in an accusing manner.

"Natsu, don't you dare!" Makarov shouted from behind the bar.

"No, it's alright, Master…" Shisui said as he stood up and walked over to Natsu, before taking a knee and putting a hand on Natsu's shoulder. "I won't lie to you. I can't be certain if I did kill Skiadrum or not. There's not a lot I can remember about the days before he vanished. I know you had a dragon too. His name was Igneel, right? I can understand how you must feel. Igneel was your father, much like Skiadrum was mine, but when you woke up and found he was gone, you must've felt so alone. I was the same,"

"Don't try and convince me that we're the same! I didn't murder my dragon for power!" Natsu shouted, shocking everyone in the Guild.

"Natsu…" Lisanna whispered.

"Wow, Natsu. That was just mean," Elfman stated, shaking his head.

"Oh, this is getting good! Maybe a fight will break out!" Mirajane said darkly, grinning like a madwoman.

"You know you're not helping!" Lisanna scolded her older sister, who simply scoffed in response.

"So, that's how you feel, is it? Very well, it seems words will do no good here…" Shisui stood up. "With your permission, Master, I would like to try another method to get through to Natsu. Though it might be considered… Immoral,"

"Normally, I wouldn't allow such a thing, but since I know you mean no ill will, I suppose I can allow it. Just don't scar the boy," Makarov warned with a serious face.

"I won't… I'll just make it last long enough for him to understand what I have to deal with," Shisui pressed his hands together, before pulling them apart and forming two magic circles in between both hands. "Encroaching Shadows; Eternal Nightmare!"

Shisui placed both hands on the sides of Natsu's head as he cast the spell on him. Natsu's eyes rolled into the back of his head as he succumbed to the spell.

* * *

"Where am I? This isn't the Guild Hall…" Natsu said as he looked around.

Natsu found himself in a desert, devoid of all live except for him and a large shadow that loomed over him.

"Natsu, my boy…" A deep voice growled. A voice Natsu knew all too well.

"Igneel! I finally found you! I don't know how, but I found you!" Natsu leaped at Igneel and hugged the large dragon.

"Yes, Natsu… It is good to see you again. However, this reunion cannot be the happy one that you desire…" Igneel said, confusing Natsu.

"I don't understand. Why not?" Natsu asked.

"In the time that we have been separated, I have grown weak. I cannot hope to survive in this world much longer. I have but one final request of you," Igneel commanded before lifting up one of his wings to reveal a black longsword sticking out of the sand. "I want you to kill me,"

"What?! Are you out of your mind?! I won't do that!" Natsu shouted in anger.

"I thought you'd say as much. I am pleased you care for me so much that you would outright deny such a request, but I'm afraid you have no choice in the matter," Igneel stated, as he stared at Natsu who began to walk towards the sword.

"What the…? What's going on?! Why am I moving?" Natsu asked, trying his best to resist the invisible force that was making him move towards the sword.

"Since you refused my request, I must take it upon myself to make sure you see it through, my boy," Igneel watched as Natsu struggled to resist picking up the sword, but was ultimately futile.

"I don't understand. Why must I kill you?!" Natsu cried as Igneel lowered his head to Natsu.

"I will die either way. At least this way, your powers will increase exponentially. I am doing this for your benefit," Igneel explained as Natsu unwillingly raised the sword over his head.

"No, don't do this! I won't let you!" Natsu shouted defiantly.

"Defiant to the very end… You've made me proud to call you my son, Natsu," Igneel whispered as he closed his eyes.

"No… Igneel! IGNEEL!" Natsu cried out as he brought the sword down on Igneel, before everything went black.

* * *

"IGNEEL!" Natsu cried out before he opened his eyes and saw he was back in the Guild Hall, looking right at Shisui.

"I'm sorry I had to do that to you, Natsu, but I saw no other way of making you understand without having you experience it. Fortunately for you, what you saw was not real, contrary to what you might have felt while under my spell. However, for me, I do not have the luxury of simply assuming it's a nightmare and nothing more. Do you understand now?" Shisui removed his hands from Natsu's head, causing the pink haired boy to drop to his knees.

"Wh-What did you do to me?" Natsu whispered.

"I did what I had to do to make sure you understood how I feel. I took no joy in doing it to you, but I saw no other way," Shisui replied, holding out his hand to Natsu, only to have it swatted away by the young boy.

"S-Stay away from me, you monster!" Natsu shouted, shuffling away from Shisui in fear.

The rest of the Guild looked on in surprise. The last thing they all saw was Shisui placing his hands on the sides of Natsu's head before a cage of black shadows formed around the pair. Moments later, the cage turned into a box of pure shadow, before collapsing and as soon as that happened, everyone heard Natsu scream the name of his dragon.

No-one knew what happened inside that cage, but it was all over in a matter of seconds. Whatever Shisui had done, it was enough to terrify Natsu to the point where Natsu perceived Shisui as some sort of evil monster.

"M-Master… W-What just happened?" Lisanna asked, clearly shook up by what she had just witnessed.

"It's one of Shisui's spells. It's a form of illusion magic that uses shadows to immerse the target into a nightmare. While it can be incredibly damaging to one's psyche, if used effectively, it can be a great persuasion tactic. However, while I expected the experience to frighten the young boy, I never expected him to become so terrified that he'd think Shisui was a monster. I know Shisui would never do anything to scar his family, which is why I allowed him to proceed, but I think I was a little overzealous in thinking such a tactic would work on Natsu. I won't claim to know what happened between them, though I have a good idea of whatever it was. However, whatever happened in there, it's between those two and those two alone," Makarov said in a hushed tone.

"Natsu, please… You need not fear me. I only cast that spell on you, simply because I saw no other way of getting through to you. I could have accepted your challenge to a fight, but I figured showing you my combat skills would only serve to hurt you physically, and I don't want to do that," Shisui took another step towards Natsu, only to have him scoot away even more.

"I t-told you! Stay away from me!" Natsu shouted, holding his hands up and looking away.

"I only wish to help you… Look, let me cast a spell on you that will prevent you from suffering nightmares because of this trauma," Shisui offered, holding out two fingers as they began to glow light blue.

"No! I said leave me alone!" Natsu screamed, before breathing fire at Shisui, engulfing him in fire, much to the shock of the onlookers.

Natsu took this opportunity to get up and run away from Shisui as fast as he could. By the time Shisui had put out the fire Natsu had breathed on him, the young Fire Dragon Slayer was gone.

"Dammit… I should have known that would end badly…" Shisui muttered, clenching his fist in anger.

"Are you alright, Shisui?" Levy asked as Shisui looked towards the open doors of the Guild Hall.

"Yes, Levy. Do not worry about me. My pain is temporary. I'm afraid Natsu's will be nothing of the sort. I should go find him," Shisui said, brushing some of the soot off his jacket.

"I would strongly advise against that, my boy," Makarov said, causing Shisui to look at the Master.

"With all due respect, Master, I need to fix this. I'm the one who's hurt Natsu; I need to find a way to make up for that," Shisui said.

"I understand how you feel, but you going after him right now will not be of any help to either of you. Yes, you might have unintentionally scared the poor lad, but trying to go after him while he's in hysterics will only make things worse. Just leave him be, and I'll see if I can't smooth things over in the morning, after he's calmed down a bit," Makarov suggested, earning a nod of understanding from Shisui.

"As you wish, Master. I'm going to go for a walk. You know how the night calms me and helps to clear my head. I'll be back later," Shisui began to walk out of the Guild Hall. "You have my word, I will not go looking for Natsu, Master,"

"Is everything alright, big sis?" Lisanna asked quietly, tapping her sister's shoulder and bringing her back down to earth.

"Huh? Oh, yeah… I guess. It's just…" Mirajane began.

"What is it?" Lisanna asked, starting to get worried.

"Nothing. Don't worry about me," Mirajane stated bluntly. "I'm going for a walk,"

"Mira…" Lisanna whispered.

Lisanna, despite her young age, was smarter than she looked. She knew something had been troubling her big sister for a while now, but being the kind of girl that she was, Mirajane refused to talk to anyone about it.

* * *

Shisui had spent the past hour and a half wandering the streets of Magnolia Town. He was replaying the events with Natsu over in his head, again and again, trying to figure out where he went wrong.

"At the time, that spell seemed to be the best thing to use. No physical confrontation needed. A good result for all involved. But, I suppose he's just a kid, that spell is powerful enough to crush the minds of even the most twisted individuals. Dammit!" Shisui swung his arm out and impacted the side of his fist with a wall. The wall had a small hole where the impact occurred and several large cracks that spider-webbed outwards from the centre.

It was at that moment, Shisui decided to divert his attention away from himself and towards his unwanted guest. He had been aware of their presence almost ten minutes after he left the Guild Hall. First he ignored them and chalked down their following as a mere coincidence, but after walking around in a circle for fifteen minutes afterwards, he knew that he was their intended target.

"You can stop trying to hide. I know you're there… Mirajane," Shisui called out while not breaking his gaze with the moon.

"Oh, come on! How the hell did you know I was here?!" Mirajane snapped, scowling as she stomped out from her hiding spot in an alleyway.

"First of all, I'm a Dragon Slayer; our senses are far more sharper than any normal human, I could smell you and hear your breathing," Shisui turned to look at Mirajane, his golden eyes sparkling in the moonlight.

"Tch, yeah, and what's the second reason?" Mirajane asked, crossing her arms.

"Trying to use the shadows to hide from a Shadow Dragon Slayer is impossible. The moment you step into a shadow, I can feel your presence. Look…" Shisui pointed down to his feet.

Mirajane looked down and saw that Shisui's shadow was connected to the alleyway, a feat that should have been impossible, but Mirajane was smart enough to know what had happened. Shisui is the Shadow Dragon Slayer; he _controls_ the shadows.

"Alright, fine, you caught me. What are you gonna do about it?" Mirajane snapped, glaring at Shisui.

"Simple, I'm going to ask you a question. Why have you been following me?" Shisui asked as he walked towards Mirajane and crouched down, so he was at eye level with her.

"How do you know I was following you?" Mirajane asked defiantly.

"I sensed you shortly after I left the Guild Hall. I thought it mere coincidence, so I walked around in a circle to see if you were indeed following me. I just pretended not to notice because I had more important things to deal with," Shisui never broke his gaze with the young girl, who began to feel unnerved.

"Alright, fine. I want to know something. What did you do to Natsu earlier?" Mirajane asked, trying to harden her gaze.

"Simple, I showed Natsu what my nightmares of killing Skiadrum were like in an attempt to make him understand how I feel. Needless to say, that was a total failure," Shisui replied, not really understanding why Mirajane was so interested.

"No, not that. The other thing. You said you could put a spell on him so he'd never suffer nightmares again," Mirajane responded.

"What about it? My Encroaching Shadows spell can be used to mentally destroy even the most hardened individuals, using it on a child is incredibly immoral. Since I knew that I'd need to use it on many kinds of people for many reasons, I devised a counter spell that is able to put the target's mind at ease, making sure they never have to suffer from nightmares," Shisui explained.

"I want you to use that spell on me," Mirajane demanded, catching Shisui off guard.

"Hold on, what? I don't understand… More to the point, I don't think _you_ understand…" Shisui began before being interrupted.

"What's not to understand? You just said that spell stops people from having nightmares, so I want you to use it on me," Mirajane stated bluntly.

"So, you're suffering from nightmares too, are you? Look, Mira, I'm sorry, but there's nothing I can do to help you," Shisui shook his head sadly, stunning Mirajane.

"What?! But you just said that spell stops people from having nightmares! Why can't you help me?!" Mirajane shouted, clenching her fists in anger.

"It would appear my explanation left a lot to be desired. My apologies, allow me to reiterate. The reason I cannot help you is because my spell would do nothing for you. Like I said, the spell itself is a counter spell for my Encroaching Shadows spell. It blocks out any and all nightmares that might be caused because of it. Nightmares that are a product of other horrors you have witnessed aren't affected by it. I'm sorry, Mira…" Shisui looked at the young girl before him.

"B-But… T-There must be something you can do! Master Makarov said you were a genius! You created a spell that destroys ethernano particles in the air, but has no effect on living beings! Why can't you help me?!" Mirajane cried, trying her best to hold back tears.

"If you want me to help you by subjecting you to spells that I don't have, or expect me to create a spell and use you as the test subject, then there is nothing I can do to help you. If, however, you want me to help you by letting you know you can talk to me about anything that's bothering you, then I can do exactly that," Shisui put a gloved hand under Mirajane's chin and lifting her head up so she was looking at him. "Look, you don't have to say anything right now. Let's return to the Guild Hall, as it's getting rather late. If you like, you can sleep on it, then you can come and find me when and if you're ready to talk, alright?"

Mirajane said nothing while Shisui escorted her back to the Guild Hall. As stubborn as she was, she would never admit to the fact that she somehow felt safe in his presence. The night could be a scary thing, but when she was with Shisui, she felt as if there was nothing to fear.

For the first time since joining Fairy Tail, she felt relaxed and at peace with the world; something she hadn't felt in a very long time. Even though Shisui said that she could decide on her answer to his offer after getting some sleep, she had already made her mind up the moment Shisui had offered to be there for her if she needed him.

As they were both walking back to the Guild Hall, Mirajane allowed herself to do something she hadn't done in a very long time. She smiled.

* * *

When Shisui and Mirajane returned to the Guild Hall, they got some odd looks from a couple of people, namely Gray, Lisanna, Elfman, and even Laxus.

"Oh, so this is what you meant by 'going for a walk'? I didn't think you were the 'creepy stalker' type, Mirajane," Gray smirked.

"Shut it, Ice-Boy! One more word and you'll find out what it's like to eat your own ice… And put some damn clothes on!" Mirajane shouted, causing Gray to run away in both fear and shock over the fact he was sat in his underwear.

"Hey, Shisui! You better not be trying anything with my sister! Things won't end well for you if you are!" Elfman said bravely, but immediately regretted his words when Shisui walked over to him and towered over him, his golden eyes staring right down at him.

"Don't worry, little man. I have no intention of trying anything with your sister. You have my word, both as a Guild Member, and a man," Shisui stated seriously.

"A man's word, huh? Well, I suppose I can trust you… Don't worry, big sis; Elfman will always look after you and Lisanna!" Elfman turned to his sister and gave her a thumbs up before going pale as a ghost when he saw Mirajane glaring daggers at him, causing him to freak out and hide behind Lisanna.

"Is this what you call 'looking after me'? Using me as a human shield against Mira's wrath?" Lisanna asked her older brother.

"Hey… Play nice. They're your siblings, nothing will ever change that," Shisui jabbed, lightly hitting Mirajane's shoulder to snap her out of her anger. Mirajane simply scoffed, crossed her arms and looked away.

"Hey, Shisui… I wanna talk to you," Laxus called out as he marched over to Shisui, with both Freid and Bickslow at his sides. "Alone," Laxus added, turning to the two males behind him. Both nodded and left to go find something else to do.

"Huh, yeah alright. Now's good?" Shisui asked, getting a nod from Laxus.

"Yeah… Outside by the tree," Laxus turned and began to walk towards the exit.

Shisui made to follow Laxus, but stopped when he felt something tugging at his arm. He turned around and saw Mirajane was holding onto him.

"Hey, what's wrong? I'm only going outside to talk to Laxus. It's not like I'm never coming back," Shisui kneeled down to look Mirajane in the eye.

"Yeah, I know, but… Well, I wanted to talk to you," Mirajane whispered, looking away from Shisui and mumbling.

"I told you there was no rush. We can talk when you feel ready to. I don't want you to have to force yourself to talk if you're not ready," Shisui replied quietly, putting an arm on Mirajane's shoulder.

"Well, can… Can you come to see me in my room after you're finished with Laxus? Please?" Mirajane asked, looking Shisui in the eye.

"Don't you stay in the dorms in Fairy Hills with the other girls? I thought guys aren't allowed there?" Shisui asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Guys aren't allowed to _live_ there. There's no rule against guys being there," Mirajane said shyly.

"Uh-huh… Look, I won't promise anything. Laxus might want to talk to me for five minutes or an hour. I don't know what he wants, so I don't know how long I will be," Shisui narrowed his eyes slightly. _'What are you really up to, Mirajane?'_

"Alright, I suppose that's fine. I guess I'll see you later then, huh?" Mirajane said, her face remaining expressionless.

' _Well, at least she's not scowling or glaring like she normally does… I guess that's progress.'_ Shisui thought to himself. "Yeah, maybe. I gotta go see Laxus, so yeah… Later," Shisui waved back at Mirajane as he walked out.

"What are you up to, Mira?" Lisanna asked.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Mirajane responded, causing Lisanna to raise an eyebrow.

"I might be younger than you and Elfman, but I'm not stupid, big sis. I know when you're planning something," Lisanna stated, trying to get her sister to open up to her.

"So what if I am? I'm old enough to make my own decisions," Mirajane snapped stubbornly.

"Uhh, Mira…? You've only just turned thirteen," Lisanna replied with a deadpan expression.

"So what? Shisui is only sixteen, yet look at him! He does his own thing all the time!" Mirajane retorted.

"Ah, so that's what this is all about…" Lisanna said with a smug grin.

"What are you talking about?" Mirajane snapped, glaring at her little sister.

"You… Have a crush on Shisui," Lisanna giggled as her sister went bright red.

"I do not!" Mirajane yelled.

"Uh-huh… You keep telling yourself that, Mira…" Lisanna smirked as she continued to tease her big sister.

* * *

"Alright, Laxus, what do you want?" Shisui asked as he approached Laxus, who was sat underneath the large tree they had their earlier discussion in.

"What's the deal with you and that Strauss kid?" Laxus practically demanded.

"Well, someone isn't wasting time beating around the bush…" Shisui mumbled. "What do you want to know?"

"Well, after that crap with Natsu and you left to go on a walk, she decided to do the same thing. Next thing I know you're returning to the Guild Hall together. You know she's only thirteen, right?" Laxus smirked at his last comment.

"You must be outta your damn mind. There's nothing going on there. I'm well aware she's only thirteen, but that's not even relevant. Look, yes, she spent the whole time following me, but it was because she wanted my help," Shisui snapped, sitting down at the base of the tree near Laxus.

"Oh, and just what did Little Miss Angry want you to help her with?" Laxus asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Is that really any of your business? I don't think she told me just so I can tell everyone else. She came to me and asked me for my help and that shows a level of trust that I don't think she has for anyone else. I'm not about to betray her trust by telling you, or anyone else. If you want to know, then you're gonna have at ask her yourself. Actually, why do you even care? You know she's only thirteen, right?" Shisui replied, causing Laxus to laugh slightly.

"Heh, well aren't you a regular comedian? I really don't care, I just don't want you getting into something messy. Those Strauss kids sound like trouble. I mean, their parents just died, so there's a lot of grief and other crap going on there that you don't need to deal with," Laxus stated.

"Since when did you care about anyone other than yourself? Are you feeling alright, Laxus?" Shisui asked, turning to look at Laxus.

"Yeah, real funny. Like I said, I don't care. I just want you at the top of your game. You know what's coming next month, don't you?" Laxus said in a serious manner.

"Yeah, I know… How could I forget?" Shisui asked. "I know you intend on proving yourself in this year's S-Class Wizard Trials, but you know it's not going to be easy…" Shisui said, as he stood up and began to head back into the Guild. "I mean, what kind of S-Class Wizard would I be if I let you win without some kind of fight?"

* * *

 **A/N; So, here it is; my new Fanfic. This is really just a side project for me, so I'll probably just be uploading new Chapters at random as I go. It's going to focus mainly on my OC and his life in Fairy Tail, but will contain canonical events that will all be rewritten to include him, and will have many elements of other franchises in it too, so be on the look out as I post new chapters for anything that might come from other places. Some might be obvious, others not so much.  
**

 **Please tell me what you think of my OC. It's the first time I've made one that is the MC, so _CONSTRUCTIVE_ Criticism/Feedback would be appreciated.**

 **That's really the long and short of it. I hope you enjoy this as much as some people enjoyed 'Hollowed Be Thy Name' (my other Fanfic (a Bleach Fanfic), in case people are not familiar with my works).**

 **So, yeah... Until next time.**

 **Please give thanks to my Beta Reader, BrownSugarBae, for giving me a hand in getting this started.**


	2. Beyond The Veil

Chapter Two – Beyond The Veil

After his conversation with Laxus, Shisui returned to the Guild Hall to try and figure out what he should do next. It was getting late and most of the younger Guild Members had already turned in for the night.

Taking a seat at an empty table, Shisui began to mull over Mirajane's request. To him, it wasn't really such an odd thing to ask; she was suffering from nightmares, and it was really affecting her, so she had requested that he go and see her and talk to her.

The request itself wasn't weird, but the fact Mirajane had told Shisui to meet her in her room certainly was. Sure, her room was where she slept, and probably had something to do with her nightmares. However, considering how late it was, it would certainly look suspicious if someone caught him either entering or leaving Mirajane's room.

Shisui's most prominent thought was to simply wait until the morning and try to find her then, when things would look nothing more than they appeared; a member of Fairy Tail looking out for one of the younger members. Despite that thought being the most prominent, Shisui couldn't shake the image of Mirajane waiting for him and becoming hurt and upset because he had abandoned her and refused to help her when she needed it the most.

Gritting his teeth, Shisui slumped over and hit his head against the table and simply sat there, unmoving with his head on the table top. Although he couldn't see them, Shisui heard a set of footsteps from behind him and stop just a few feet from him. He knew exactly who it was.

"What's wrong, Cana? You should be in bed." Shisui muttered, his words being slightly muffled by the table.

"I just wanted to see if you're alright. You look like something is bothering you." Cana said shyly.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just trying to figure out what I should do about something… Or someone." Shisui said with a sigh as he sat up and turned to look at Cana.

"Do you mean Natsu? I wouldn't worry about him. Let the Master deal with that bonehead in the morning. Once Master Makarov talks to him, I'm sure Natsu will come around… Eventually." Cana said with a smile.

"You're probably right, but that isn't what I meant. I'm talking about Mirajane." Shisui replied, causing Cana to look at him with confusion.

"What's she got to do with anything?" Cana asked.

"I can't tell you the specifics, as she trusted me to be able to keep whatever she said a secret, but she's been having… Problems, and wants me to help her." Shisui explained.

"Right, and what's the big deal? It's in your nature to help others, Shisui. Why is this so different? Wait a minute, are you _scared_ of Mirajane?" Cana asked with a giggle.

"Preposterous. She is but a child. A moody child, but a child nonetheless. I am not scared of her." Shisui stated, causing Cana to giggle some more. "Anyway, to answer your question properly; no, I am not scared of Mirajane, I'm just a little unsure of how to handle the situation that lies before me."

"What situation would that be?" Cana asked, finally deciding to sit in the seat next to Shisui.

"Well… How do I put this? Mirajane has requested my presence so that she can talk to me because she needs my help. The only problem is that she wants me to go see her now… In her room." Shisui explained.

"Ok, but I don't see why… Oh." Cana replied, putting the pieces together before grinning. "Mirajane likes you!"

"No she doesn't! I'm just trying to help her, just like I'd do for anyone else in the Guild, and I'm sure anyone in the Guild would do the same for her. Besides, even if that were the case, she's far too young to be thinking about anything like that!" Shisui said definitively.

"Perhaps, but us girls are way more mature than you guys. I mean, just look at Natsu and Gray; both of them are older than Levy and Lisanna, but they both act like they're children." Cana said with a dismissive wave.

"Isn't Natsu the same age as you and Gray? I thought you were all twelve? I know Levy and Lisanna are only eleven, but that's not much younger, so your statement is a bit of a moot point, isn't it?" Shisui asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Not really, when you look at how Levy, Lisanna, and I act and then compare it to Gray and Natsu, we're far more mature." Cana stated, matter-of-factly.

"Well, I can't dispute that… Hey, that's not even the point here! Mirajane is only thirteen. She shouldn't be thinking about boys or relationships until she's at least sixteen!" Shisui shouted.

"My, someone's rather protective… Shouldn't that be Elfman's job?" Cana asked teasingly.

"Perhaps, but Elfman is far too kind to kind to be considered intimidating. He just needs to learn to man up and not be so shy. That being said, he's still just a kid, so I'm not saying his kindness is a bad thing, but he can't be like that his whole life. Especially when he has Lisanna to look after." Shisui said with a shrug.

"Yeah, I suppose he's kinda soft, isn't he? Well, if you want my advice, just go see her. While guys aren't allowed to live at Fairy Hills, I don't think there's a rule against guys visiting. Just… Well, be careful. I don't want you to get caught and have people get the wrong idea and think you're a pervert." Cana said with a smirk.

"Yeah, because that'll go down well with everyone…" Shisui said sarcastically. "Alright, I suppose it wouldn't hurt to check in on her. I mean, I can't shake the image of the poor girl sat up waiting for me, and feeling hurt because I never showed up."

Shisui stood up and wandered out of the Guild Hall and up towards the hillside overlooking Fairy Tail where the Fairy Hills Dormitory was located. He really didn't know what he was getting himself into, but he hoped everything would go smoothly.

###

The following morning in Fairy Tail was just like any other morning; chaotic. Most of the younger members had just finished their breakfast and were charging about the Guild Hall with reckless abandon. Sat on top of the bar, Makarov watched his children rushing about with a smile on his face. Sat on two bar stools next to the Master were none other than Macao and Wakaba; two of Fairy Tail's most senior members, after the Master himself.

"Wow, these kids sure have a lot of energy, don't they?" Macao said with a chuckle as he sipped on his beer.

"They sure do. I'm actually a little jealous. We were never this rowdy as kids, which means as they get older, they're all going to outshine us. Some already have." Wakaba said as he took a puff on his cigarette.

"You mean Shisui and Laxus, right? I'd be lying if I said I wasn't looking forward to the S-Class Wizard Trials next month; I'm certain Laxus will be victorious." Macao said as he watched the Grandson of Makarov from afar, who was merely sat on his own, listening to his music with his eyes closed.

"I don't know, I have a feeling he won't be successful if he has to battle Shisui or Gildarts. Assuming Gildarts even returns." Wakaba said as he watched Levy run past him with three large books in her hands.

"What makes you think he won't be back in time?" Macao asked with a raised eyebrow.

"You know Gildarts; he's never around for very long and when he is here, it's only to pick up a new job request, and smack Natsu around a bit. That kid never seems to learn, does he?" Wakaba said with a grin.

"Yeah, but Gildarts always returns for the S-Class Trials. He's the only one here who is an S-Class Wizard, along with Shisui." Macao commented. "Hey, speaking of Natsu, has anyone seen him recently? I haven't seen him since yesterday." Both men turned to the Master, who was still sat on the bar top, now with his eyes closed.

"Before you ask, I haven't seen Natsu either. I went to his home early this morning, but he wasn't there. I have a feeling he's in the East Forest, likely doing some training." Makarov spoke, not even opening his eyes.

"Training for what, I wonder? There's no way he'll be strong enough to take part in the S-Class Trials next month, so what could he be training so hard for?" Macao asked, scratching his chin in thought.

"Probably so he can go toe-to-toe with Shisui. After what happened between them yesterday, I'm sure the kid's been pretty rattled." Wakaba said as he stubbed out his cigarette and grabbed his beer.

"Can't say I blame him. I don't know what happened, but it didn't look pleasant. While I feel bad for what happened to Natsu, I can't help but feel sorry for Shisui too. I know he never intended to hurt Natsu, and I'm sure he didn't think Natsu would react the way he did." Macao said with a frown.

"Huh… That's odd. I can't seem to find Shisui in the Guild Hall. Master, has he gone out on a job?" Wakaba asked, turning to Makarov once again.

"No, I haven't seen him at all this morning. Maybe he's off training somewhere like Natsu is." Makarov reasoned, his eyes still remaining shut.

"Hey, Lisanna, have you seen big sis this morning? I haven't seen her since last night." Elfman said as he saw his little sister walk past him.

"Hmm? I don't think so…? I thought she was already here when I left this morning. Guess I was wrong." Lisanna said with a shrug.

"Wait, Mirajane isn't here either? That's not like her… She's usually here terrorising someone." Gray said as he had overheard Elfman talking to Lisanna.

"What do you mean 'either'? Who else isn't here, Gray?" Elfman asked, looking around the Guild Hall.

"Well, for starters, Natsu isn't here. Haven't you noticed how quiet it is this morning?" Gray said.

"This is quiet? There's heaps of people shouting and running about like every morning." Lisanna said as she watched the other Guild Members rushing about the place.

"Well, it's quiet compared to most mornings. Natsu isn't here trying to fight Laxus or annoy me. Lousy loudmouthed fire breather…" Gray replied, muttering the insult under his breath.

"So, Mirajane and Natsu aren't here?" Elfman asked, in an attempt to confirm what Gray had said.

"Yeah, but there's also one more person that's not here…" Gray said, looking around to make sure he wasn't wrong.

"Ohh, you mean Shisui, right?!" Lisanna exclaimed, snapping her fingers when she figured it out.

"Exactly, I've been looking around all morning and I haven't seen him. I wonder what's going on with those three…" Gray said, more to himself.

On a nearby table, Cana had heard everything Gray, Elfman, and Lisanna had said and was beginning to sweat nervously. After her conversation with Shisui last night, she could only come up with two possible reasons as to why Shisui wasn't present. The first one was that he had been seen by someone while trying to visit Mirajane. The second reason made her face go bright red.

"I hope Shisui hasn't tried anything with my sister! If he has, I'll make him pay!" Elfman said bravely.

"Really now, Elfman? What sort of person do you take me for?" Shisui's voice spoke from somewhere near Elfman, confusing and terrifying him because it sounded like it came from all around him.

Surely enough, as soon as Shisui's voice was heard, black smoke began to appear in the Guild Hall and circle around Elfman, who had gone pale upon hearing the voice. A few seconds later, the smoke vanished, which further confused everyone who saw it.

"What just happened? Where did Shisui go?" Gray asked.

"I don't know, but now I'm scared." Elfman said, trying to hide behind Lisanna.

"Hey! Come out from behind me, big brother Elfman!" Lisanna shouted.

"Hey, guys? I'm over here." Shisui called out, causing everyone to turn and see Shisui sat at a table with Levy, who had the three large books that she had been carrying earlier spread out all over the table. When they all looked over at him, he simply waved a hand at them.

"What? When did you get here? You weren't there a second ago." Gray stated, pointing to Shisui.

"What are you talking about? I've been here all morning. Haven't I, Levy?" Shisui turned to look at the small, blue haired girl next to him.

"That's right. I've been helping Shisui with these books all morning. How could you not see him?" Levy asked, her head sat at a lop-sided angle.

When everyone looked at Levy with confusion, Shisui couldn't help but grin behind his high-collared cloak. He had been using one of his magic spells to make him appear as nothing more than an intangible shadow to everyone in the Guild but Levy, so he wouldn't be interrupted by anyone.

"Ah, there you are Shisui. I have a request to ask you." Makarov called out from his spot on the bar top. For the first time all morning, he had opened his eyes when he spoke.

"Yes, Master? What did you need?" Shisui asked, looking over at Makarov.

"As you know, the S-Class Wizard Trials are coming up next month and I need someone to act as a Proctor for them. Since you and Gildarts are the only two S-Class Wizards Fairy Tail currently has, I'd ask that you fulfil that role, especially since I have no idea if Gildarts will indeed be back for this year's trial." Makarov said, staring at Shisui.

"You want me to act as the Trial Proctor? Sure, I suppose I could do that. Wouldn't hurt to see just how good our newest candidates will be." Shisui said with a shrug. "Oh by the way, Master, there's something I need to talk to you about."

"Marvellous! Now, there is something else I have for you before you tell me whatever it is you need to tell me…" Makarov began, but was interrupted when the front doors to the Guild Hall were kicked open by a very angry Mirajane.

"SHISUI!" Mirajane screamed, looking around the Guild Hall.

"Oh, here we go… I told him not to get involved with that shit…" Laxus muttered, shaking his head in annoyance.

"Is everything alright, Mirajane?" Shisui asked as he watched the angry girl storm over towards him, clearly unfazed by her rage.

"Don't you dare 'Is everything alright' me! You betrayed me!" Mirajane shouted, pointing directly at Shisui and glaring at him.

"I'm afraid you've lost me. How have I 'betrayed' you?" Shisui asked, using the back of his left hand to move Mirajane's finger away from his face.

"I came to you because I thought you could help me! You even said you would, but where were you when I was waiting for you last night?!" Mirajane demanded, still glaring at Shisui.

"What happened between those two, and why was she waiting for him last night?" Gray whispered to Elfman, not realising who he was talking to.

"What?! Shisui, I warned you not to try anything with my big sister!" Elfman shouted in a rare moment of bravery.

"Sit down! This is between me and Shisui! You stay out of this, Elfman!" Mirajane commanded.

"Yes, ma'am!" Elfman cried before sitting back down in the blink of an eye.

"Look, Mira… I don't know how you think I betrayed you, but you've got this all wrong. I _did_ go and see you last night, but…" Shisui began, before trailing off.

"But what? Don't tell me you chickened out because you're scared of me!" Mirajane snapped.

"Hmph, not likely. Let me start from the beginning, alright…" Shisui began, as he started to explain what had happened the night before.

###

 _Shisui arrived outside the main gates of Fairy Hills; the large, wrought iron gates were locked shut with a giant padlock and chain. Shisui couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at the sight._

" _What is this, a girls' dormitory, or an abandoned insane asylum? I mean, I get they're all about keeping the girls safe at night, but this is just ridiculous. More to the point, Cana is still in the Guild Hall; how is she going to get inside when she wants to go to bed? Oh, well…" Shisui sighed before snapping his fingers and exploding into a cloud of shadow._

 _In his shadow form, he was able to pass through the gate with ease, once on the other side, he materialised again and headed up to the main door. It came as no surprise to Shisui that the main doors were also locked._

" _Man, why do I have a feeling that this is going to end very badly? I mean, look at me; I'm literally breaking in to a girls' dormitory in the middle of the night. I must be outta my damn mind… The things I do for my family, I suppose." Shisui shook his head as he lifted up a hand and focused his magic into it, cloaking it with shadows._

 _With his hand now coated in what looked like black fire, Shisui pushed his hand through the door and was able to unlock it from the outside. Upon hearing the 'click' of the lock releasing on the door, he pulled his hand back out and opened the door before stepping inside._

 _Upon seeing the interior, Shisui really had to reconsider whether or not he was actually in a girls' dormitory or an abandoned insane asylum. The main foyer was engulfed in darkness, and not a single iota of light was present inside. The only light that was present was that from the moon outside. There was only one word Shisui could think of to describe the atmosphere._

" _Creepy…" Shisui breathed, and upon breathing that single word, his eyes widened when he saw his own breath. "Is the air really so cold that I can see my breath?"_

 _Shaking his head to rid himself of his distracting thoughts, he decided to press on and find Mirajane's room. The last thing he wanted was for Mirajane to be sat waiting for someone who was never going to come._

 _He approached the main staircase and placed a boot on the first step. Upon touching it, he froze up as the wooden step creaked really loudly. He turned his head to see if anyone had heard it, but to his relief, no-one came to investigate._

" _Looks like I'm going to have to get creative…" Shisui muttered before placing a hand on the wall next to him._

 _As soon as he touched the wall, his arm began to turn black and liquefy, along with the rest of his body as he began to meld with the shadows on the wall. All it took was a few seconds and Shisui had now become one with the shadows. No-one would be able to sense him if they walked by, and no-one would be able to feel his presence if they touched the shadows he was now a part of._

 _Deciding he had wasted enough time, Shisui began to slink up the wall and towards Mirajane's room. Every second that passed, he began to feel more and more uneasy. He knew he was in one hell of a situation, and if he got caught, he was sure he'd lose the respect of all his Guildmates and be branded a pervert for the rest of his life._

 _Using his finely tuned senses, Shisui was able to lock on to Mirajane's scent and track her directly to her room. After a few short minutes, he found himself stood in front of a door with 'Mirajane Strauss' carved into a golden placard that was bolted to the door._

" _Well, that was easier than I thought. I didn't expect the girls' names to be on the doors of their respective rooms. Wait a minute, what_ did _I expect? I haven't been here before, so why was this even important?" Shisui whispered to himself._

 _Once again, as Shisui spoke, he saw his breath create a fog in the cold air. As soon as he spoke this time, however, he heard an unearthly wail coming from down the hallway._

" _What. In the hell. Was that?" Shisui whispered, turning to look at where the wail had come from._

 _While he had saw nothing, Shisui wasn't about to wait for whatever the hell made the noise to come looking for him. He immediately grabbed the door handle to Mirajane's room and tried to open it, only to find it was locked._

" _Fuck! Alright, looks like I haven't got a choice." Shisui hissed as his body began to turn into a black liquid-like form before he merged with the shadows on the floor and used them to enter Mirajane's room._

 _Upon entering Mirajane's room, Shisui returned to his physical form once again and looked behind him to make sure the door was still closed. Hearing that wail had caused him to panic slightly, so most of his rational thinking had gone out the window. He knew there was no reason for the door not to be closed, so he shook his head and calmed himself down._

 _He lifted the hand he had used to try and open the door to rub the sweat from his forehead, but stopped when he noticed something peculiar. His hand was glowing slightly in the moonlight that was coming into Mirajane's room from her window._

" _What the…?" Shisui looked at his hand in confusion before raising it up to his nose and sniffing the strange substance. "Hmm, strange… It almost smells like…" Shisui whispered before putting a finger in his mouth and licked the glowing matter off it. "Moon Dust? But… Why is it on Mirajane's door?"_

 _It was then, as soon as Shisui discovered the powdery substance was Moon Dust, that everything clicked. The chained gates, the locked doors, the fog his breath created, and absence of light anywhere inside Fairy Hills. It could only mean one of two things…_

" _I have to get out of here…" Shisui whispered as he walked over to the window and noticed the windowsill also had a light covering of Moon Dust on it. "Dammit, I can't get out this way. Why didn't I bring 'Moonblade' with me?"_

 _Shisui turned to the side and saw Mirajane in bed. She had fallen asleep, which explained why she hadn't said anything when he entered her room. However, Shisui had noticed that Mirajane's face was contorted into a look of anguish. Upon closer inspection, Shisui noticed she was sweating profusely. Mirajane was suffering from a nightmare._

" _Mira… Mira, wake up!" Shisui hissed as he began to gently shake Mirajane, but his attempts were in vain._

 _Cutting his losses, Shisui simply took a step back and snapped his fingers, exploding into a cloud of shadow and escaping Mirajane's room and Fairy Hills, but not before quickly examining the rest of the door handles to the girls' rooms; each one was covered in a light coating of Moon Dust. Once he was outside, Shisui took a moment to examine the chains that locked up the gate._

" _They're made of silver… I knew it. The Master must know about this. I'll talk to him about it in the morning…" Shisui said as he turned his back on Fairy Hills and returned to the Guild Hall._

###

Everyone in the Guild Hall who had heard Shisui's story was now looking at him in shock. Even Laxus had stopped playing his music so he could pay attention to what was going on. After a few seconds, Mirajane's face turned from a look of shock to a look of anger.

"Bullshit! You really expect me to believe _that_?!" Mirajane shouted.

"Do you deny the fact you had a nightmare last night?" Shisui replied emotionlessly, catching Mirajane off guard.

"Well, no, but… That's just a coincidence! I told you I've been having nightmares a lot recently!" Mirajane responded, clapping her hands over her mouth when she realised she had just admitted to having nightmares.

"Alright, Levy, answer me this; did you have a nightmare last night?" Shisui asked, turning to Levy.

"Uhh, yeah… It was really scary!" Levy said with a frown.

"What about you, Lisanna?" Shisui asked, looking at the youngest Strauss sibling.

"Yeah, I did too… But Mira is right; that's just a coincidence." Lisanna said dismissively, taking her sister's side.

"Yes, you are right; it is a coincidence. However…" Shisui began before he looked over to Cana. "Cana, did you have a nightmare last night?"

"No, actually. I slept really well, to be honest." Cana said with a shrug, not sure what Shisui was getting at.

"Ah-ha! See! I knew it was all a coincidence!" Mirajane shouted, pointing an accusing finger at Shisui.

"Hold on, Mira, I wasn't finished. Cana, would you like to tell everyone where you slept last night?" Shisui asked, not breaking his gaze with Cana, even when interrupted by Mirajane.

"I slept in the Guild Hall. I missed the curfew that was set in place and got locked out. So I couldn't go to my room, even if I wanted to." Cana said, earning a few murmurs from other Guild Members.

"Alright, thank you for that. Now a question for everyone, except for you Levy." Shisui began as he began to address the entire Guild. "Is anyone here familiar with Moon Dust?"

Everyone looked at Shisui like he was insane, causing Shisui to sigh.

"Moon Dust? What, like dust from the moon? That's crazy, even for you." Gray commented.

"I have to admit, this notion of matter that originates from the moon is most ludicrous." Freid stated.

"No, I don't mean literal moon dust, I mean the chemical material known as Moon Dust. It's created by mixing silver shards with a fine powder and ground together to make a shiny dust that glows like the moon at night." Shisui explained, getting more confused looks from people.

"I think Shisui's the one having nightmares." Wakaba murmured.

"Alright, let's say we know what this Moon Dust is; just what's it used for and what's it got to do with Fairy Hills?" Elfman asked.

"I was getting to that. Moon Dust is used as a barrier to ward off evil spectres. It was on the handle of every door in Fairy Hills and since it was on Mirajane's windowsill, it stands to reason it was on everyone else's windowsill too." Shisui explained, noticing people were now connecting the dots.

"Hold on… You don't mean that…?" Macao began.

"Yes; Fairy Hills is being haunted by a spectre." Shisui said seriously.

The atmosphere in the Guild Hall had become thick with tension and so silent that Shisui was able to hear the heartbeat of everyone around him.

"What…? You mean, like, a ghost?" Lisanna asked, starting to get frightened.

"Not a ghost, Lisanna; a spectre." Shisui clarified.

"What's the difference?" Mirajane asked.

"The difference between a ghost and a spectre is as different as night and day. Ghosts, while scary to some people, are harmless and cannot pass through something that is made of iron, and since the gates of Fairy Tail are wrought iron gates, there's no way a ghost could enter the building. Spectres are a whole other box of trouble. They're post-conjunction creatures that can take a physical and immaterial form in this world. Unlike ghosts, they cannot be stopped by mere iron. The only thing capable of stopping a spectre is silver and enchantments that can be used as a trap to force it into material form." Shisui stated.

"Silver… Like in the Moon Dust?" Freid asked.

"Exactly. I think the doors and windows were lined with Moon Dust to act as a barrier to keep the spectre away from the girls while they slept. That's not all; the giant chains used to lock up Fairy Hills' main gate is made of none other than silver." Shisui said, noticing that people were now starting to understand.

"So, this spectre thing is haunting Fairy Hills and someone is using this Moon Dust to keep the girls safe. Are we to assume this thing is the reason us girls are having nightmares?" Cana asked.

"That's what Levy and I have been trying to find out all morning. In regards to all post-conjunction creatures of the spectre class, only two have the ability to induce nightmares; a Hym and a Penitent." Shisui said, crossing his arms and leaning against the bar.

"There's that word again; 'Post-Conjunction'. What does that even mean?" Mirajane asked.

"What? You're telling me you've never heard of the event known as 'The Conjunction of the Spheres'?" Shisui asked, receiving a plethora of headshakes from people.

"Man, you idiots really need to pick up a book every now and then." Laxus called out, standing up and walking towards the rest of the Guild Members, with Freid and Bickslow in tow. "Everyone knows that the Conjunction of the Spheres is the reason magic even exists in our world."

"Just what are you saying, Laxus?" Gray asked.

"What I'm saying, kid, is that almost eight hundred years ago, our universe was involved with a cataclysmic collision with another, unknown magical universe. When the two collided, all the magic that existed in this 'B Universe' was conjoined with our universe. That being said, for every good outcome, there is an equally bad one. While we got magic out of this collision of universes, we also got an assortment of frightening monsters and creatures not even your worst nightmares could imagine. A Hym and a Penitent are just two of the creatures that exist in our world now." Laxus explained, a dark grin appeared on his face when he saw the younger ones present start to look scared.

"That's enough, Laxus! Don't scare the children!" Makarov snapped, glaring at his Grandson.

"Tch, whatever, Gramps… It's better they know now rather than later." Laxus shrugged before walking off.

"While Laxus could have handled that situation a lot better, he's right about everything. That's how magic came into this world, and why there are all sorts of frightening creatures that lurk in the shadows." Shisui said, getting the conversation back on track.

"Then… Then why haven't we heard of them until now?" Elfman asked.

"That's probably because you're all too young, and you're not experienced Wizards. See, monsters like this can be very dangerous, meaning that more often than not, the job is for S-Class Wizards only. There are some that can be marked as A-Class, but the complexity and the many unknowns that the job offers, usually means it'll become an S-Class job down the line. Nine times out of ten, the client doesn't even know what sort of beast they're asking you to kill, so it could be something far more dangerous than what is advertised." Shisui said.

"Alright, Shisui, then tell us. What do you think is haunting Fairy Hills?" Makarov asked, trying to steer the conversation away from simple Lore and on to the problem at hand.

"As I said, Master, it could either be a Hym or a Penitent. Both are spectres and are weakened by Moon Dust, but only Hym's have the ability to induce nightmares. That being said, Hym's never take on a physical form, and usually cling to the shadows to possess someone. On the other hand, a Penitent is a Wraith that usually manifests in a physical form, and usually feeds off the guilt an individual target is feeling due to some terrible atrocity they've committed. Also, a Penitent is usually bound to the place it haunts and has the ability to make the air around you grow cold and become foggy, making it impossible to fend off." Shisui explained, rubbing his chin in thought. "Honestly, I think we're dealing with a Penitent, as the things I encountered last night seem to fit that more than a Hym. But Penitents are not known for inducing nightmares, so I can't be sure."

"So, how do we stop it?" Lisanna asked.

"There is no 'we', Lisanna. The only people who are fit to deal with such a creature is Master Makarov, myself and perhaps Laxus." Shisui said, looking over at Laxus, who merely scoffed.

"Tch, what do I get out of this? It's not like there's an official job request or anything." Laxus said as he kept walking.

"Perhaps not, but it'll prove you're more than worthy to be an S-Class Wizard, isn't that right, Master?" Shisui said, looking over at Makarov.

"Indeed… Listen to me, Laxus; if you and Shisui can take down this spectre that's haunting the girls in Fairy Hills, I'll do away with the Trial next month and make you an S-Class Wizard!" Makarov declared, getting looks of shock from everyone present.

"Heh, now you're speaking my language, Old Man. You've got a deal!" Laxus said with a wide smirk.

"So, how exactly do you plan on killing it?" Cana asked.

"Strangely enough, all Post-Conjunction monsters have an aversion to magic and silver. That explains why the chains on the gate were silver, and why Moon Dust is comprised of silver." Shisui said.

"Do either of you even have anything that's made of silver?" Gray asked.

"Hmm… Yes and no. I have Moonblade, which is a magic sword made from Tephrite. Tephrite is a form of volcanic rock that holds many metallic elements, one of which is silver. It's the perfect blade for fighting Post-Conjunction creatures." Shisui said, tapping the hilt of Moonblade which was strapped to his back.

"Alright, sounds like we're good to go. What are we waiting for?" Laxus asked.

"Night time. Almost all spectres only come out at night, with the exception of a Noonwraith." Shisui responded.

"What's a Noonwraith?" Elfman asked.

"That's a story for another time, Elfman. After reading up on the Lore of a Penitent, and considering it only haunts places that have people who are wracked with guilt, it stands to reason there is someone in Fairy Hills who is suffering from an immense amount of guilt. However, it also sounds like it's someone who knows about Penitents and how to stop them, to a degree." Shisui explained.

"What makes you say that?" Wakaba asked.

"The Moon Dust; only someone with the knowledge of spectres would know to use Moon Dust to keep them at bay. They coated the door handles and windowsills with it, as a way to protect the girls from harm. Since none of the girls here knew anything about it, it must be someone else who lives there…" Shisui reasoned.

At this, all the girls present looked at one another, all thinking the same thing. After a few seconds of silence, they all nodded before speaking a single word.

"Hilda." Everyone said at once.

"Who?" Shisui asked, raising an eyebrow at the name.

"Hilda is the matron of Fairy Hills. She's always telling us that Wizarding is dangerous and we should all quit." Levy said, earning a nod from Shisui.

"I see… Then, perhaps we'll need to pay a visit to this Hilda…" Shisui muttered.

"Yeah, yeah, let's go already! We're burning daylight!" Laxus snapped as he began to push Shisui towards the door.

"Yeah, whatever, Laxus. Just try your best to not be a dick while we're talking to her; I know you're tactless at the best of times and have no sensitivity towards anyone." Shisui said as he walked out of the Guild Hall.

"Shisui, when you're finished with this monster, come back and see me. I have a job request for you!" Makarov shouted out, causing Shisui to raise his hand and wave back in acknowledgement.

"I can't believe we're living in a place that's haunted!" Lisanna said uneasily.

"Yeah, I know… Isn't it great?!" Mirajane said with a smirk.

"Shisui isn't here anymore, you don't have to play it tough, girl." Cana said from behind Mirajane.

"What are you talking about?" Mirajane snapped, turning to glare at Cana.

"C'mon, you can't fool me. Going after Shisui last night, asking him to go to your room and 'talk' with you, the burning rage when you thought you had been stood up. You like him." Cana said, smirking when Mirajane went red.

"I do not!" Mirajane yelled in anger and embarrassment.

"You keep telling yourself that; you might believe it one day." Cana said with a smirk before Mirajane growled at her and started to chase her.

"Come back here so I can kill you!" Mirajane shouted.

 _Hmm… A Penitent in Fairy Hills? I never would have expected such a thing. Looks like I'll need to pay her a visit at some point…_ Makarov thought to himself as he returned to his meditative state on the bar top, amidst the chaos that was unfolding all around him.

###

Shisui and Laxus both travelled up to Fairy Hills in silence; neither male had anything of importance to speak of, so they just kept quiet. Once they arrived, Laxus merely barged in, terrifying the dorm's resident black cat, who ran off up the stairs.

"Hey! Is anyone here?! Get your ass down here!" Laxus shouted from the main foyer.

"Well, I can see I was right about you having no tact." Shisui remarked.

"Bite me, I haven't got time to screw around; my status as an S-Class Wizard is on the line!" Laxus said gruffly.

"I hear men! Men aren't allowed here!" A sharp voice screeched out from above them.

A moment later, an old lady appeared at the top of the stairway, with the black cat next to her.

"You must be Hilda? I'm Shisui and this is Laxus. I was hoping we could–" Shisui began, before being interrupted.

"I know who you are, but you're still not allowed here! Be gone!" Hilda snapped, marching down the stairs.

"Cram it, lady, we're here on important business from the Old Man. He wants us to find out why a Penitent is haunting this place." Laxus bit back, earning a shocked look from Hilda.

"I… I have no idea what you're talking about. Now leave!" Hilda shouted.

"Sorry, but we're not buying that. How else do you explain the Moon Dust that was placed on the windowsills and door handles of all the rooms in here?" Shisui asked firmly.

"How do you know about that?" Hilda asked, narrowing her eyes at Shisui.

"Because I was here last night. Mirajane has been having nightmares and wanted my help." Shisui stated. He knew it would serve him no good to lie to the old woman.

"Men are not allowed to visit after the curfew! You're actions are unacceptable!" Hilda yelled.

"Unacceptable or not, if it wasn't for me, these girls would still be unaware that a spectre is haunting them and causing them nightmares. Now, we'll ask again; why is a Penitent haunting Fairy Hills?"

"What is this 'Pentient' you speak of? There are no such creatures here!" Hilda shouted defiantly.

"Christ, woman, would you listen to yourself?! First of all, it's a 'Penitent', and second, how do you explain the Moon Dust on the doors and windowsills of every room?! Only someone with the knowledge of post-conjunction creatures would know how to use that! If that's not enough, what about the chains on the gates that are made of silver, and the severe drop in air temperature at night?!" Laxus snapped, quickly growing tired of the charade.

"Fine, you win. Come with me and I'll tell you all I know. But I will start by saying this; I don't know what Moon Dust is or how it works. I was just told to use it by someone." Hilda sighed as she began walking back up the stairs with Shisui and Laxus following behind her.

###

Meanwhile, on the other side of Magnolia Town, deep in the East Forest, Makarov was paying a visit to an old friend. After hearing about what was going on up at Fairy Hills, he had decided such a visit was necessary.

Sighing and shaking his head, Makarov opened to door to a small house that was built into a large tree; a door that would have been easily missed if one was not actively looking for it.

"Go away! I have no time for visitors!" A female voice snapped as Makarov entered the house and closed the door behind him.

"Is that any way to treat an old friend?" Makarov asked, regarding the woman who had her back to him. Upon hearing Makarov's voice, the woman turned around and looked at Makarov with a hard stare.

The woman Makarov was looking at was a tall, slim woman, who had red eyes, and was a few years younger than Makarov. She had pink hair that was tied up in a bun and held together by two large pins which were decorated with a crescent moon on the end of each one.

She was wearing a dark green blouse with a tie, a long, dark magenta skirt and a pair of simple, black shoes. The most notable clothing he had on was the long, crimson cape that reached the floor and had a high collar, which was topped with what appeared to be dragon's horns.

"What do you want, Makarov? I told you, I have no time for visitors." The woman sighed before turning back to her table of potions.

"As cold as ever, I see. Very well, I shall not dawdle and waste your time, Porlyusica. I have just one question; how long have you known about Fairy Hills being haunted by a spectre?" Makarov asked seriously.

"What makes you think I know anything about that?" Porlyusica asked without turning away from her potions.

"The fact Moon Dust was used as a barrier to keep the girls safe from it. Do not misunderstand, I am grateful that my girls are safe because of you, I just want to know why you never told me." Makarov explained.

"It wasn't my business to tell. Hilda came to me a few months back and asked if I had any items that would deter spectres. I simply gave her Moon Dust and told her how to use it." Porlyusica said flatly.

"Fair enough. Do you know what kind of spectre it is? Shisui seems to think it's a Penitent, but there's also the possibility it's a Hym. I know both are deterred by Moon Dust, so it's really anyone's guess as to what it really is." Makarov said, rubbing his chin in thought.

"I don't know; I wasn't given many details. I believe the old woman has no idea herself. However, based off what I was told, I also came to the conclusion that it was either a Penitent or a Hym, so your boy isn't too far off." Porlyusica stated.

"Well, that's something at least. Have you any advice on how to banish the creatures?" Makarov asked.

"I can't be sure, as I don't know what they're dealing with. As you know, Penitents are creatures that manifest due to a person's guilt, and usually become bound to the place they haunt by either an object of the individual's guilt, or by a binding spell. Destroying either would guarantee banishing the creature permanently, assuming you can defeat it. A Hym usually latches on to a person who is overcome by guilt for a horrible deed they have committed in the past. The only way to defeat a Hym is to trick it into thinking you've done something truly depraved so that it'll latch on to you, or by drawing the creature out and killing it."

"Neither will be an easy monster to deal with, that's for sure. Do you have anything that we can use to make defeating either creature easier?" Makarov asked hopefully.

"The only thing that'll make battling spectres more favourable for you is using Moon Dust to keep it in a corporeal form, or by using enchantments to trap it and keep it materialised in a physical form. Neither make it 'easier' to defeat, but at least you're not facing certain death that way." Porlyusica responded.

"I see… Well, do you–?" Makarov began, but was interrupted when Porlyusica threw a large book at him, narrowly missing his head.

"That's all you're getting from me, now get out! I told you I have no time for visitors!" Porlyusica snapped, glaring at Makarov.

Makarov knew when he had overstayed his welcome in Porlyusica's home. With a quick bow, Makarov turned and left her home and began his trek back to the Guild Hall.

 _Be careful, you two… Hym or Penitent, you certainly have your work cut out for you…_ Makarov thought to himself as his thoughts wandered to Laxus and Shisui, hoping that they would both be successful and come out from this job unharmed.

###

"So, let me get this straight; you're saying this Penitent has manifested here because you killed your daughter?" Laxus asked with a raised eyebrow. "And you've been getting help from Old Lady Porlyusica to keep the Penitent at bay?"

"Look, I don't mean to be disrespectful, but you need to tell me how you, as you put it, 'killed your daughter'." Shisui said.

"It happened about four years ago. My daughter, Christina, was a Wizard with Fairy Tail. She was so excited to go out on her very first solo mission, and despite me having my reservations about the whole thing, decided that it would be an exciting experience for her to go. It was a simple mission, and she should have been back within a few days, but days turned into weeks, and weeks into months, before I received a message from the Magic Council, stating the fact my daughter had been killed and her body had only been discovered a few days prior to me finding out." Hilda explained, surprising Shisui by keeping a straight face the entire time.

"Did the goons from the Magic Council tell you what happened to her?" Laxus asked casually.

"Yes… They said her body had been found, deep in a forest, not far from where a Leshen was said to reside. After examining the wounds she had sustained, they concluded she had indeed been a victim of said Leshen." Hilda stated.

"A Leshen…? Jesus, those things don't screw around. If you trespass on their land, they will not hesitate to kill you. They're brutal." Shisui muttered. "I still don't see how it was your fault, Hilda."

"Don't you understand? It was I who told her to take on the job, despite my doubts about her being able to do it. I was the one who sent her to her death!" Hilda exclaimed. "If I hadn't pushed her to follow her dreams of becoming a Wizard, none of this would ever have happened!"

"Look, lady, it wasn't your fault. You were just trying to support your daughter's dreams and there's nothing wrong with that." Laxus said in a somewhat caring manner.

"I'll never be able to forgive myself…" Hilda muttered to herself.

"Alright, I have one last question before we leave. Do you have anything that belonged to Christina before she died?" Shisui asked.

"Yes… It was the reward she got from completing her very first job as a Fairy Tail Wizard; a teddy bear." Hilda said, perking up when she remembered what it was.

"A teddy bear? What kind of cheapskate gives someone a teddy bear as a reward?" Laxus asked with a scoff, before being punched in the arm by Shisui.

"The request came from a little girl who lost her best friend; the teddy bear. Christina decided to take on the request, as she knew what it was like to lose something you cherished from a young age. When she found it, the little girl decided that her teddy bear would be happier with Christina and said that she should keep it." Hilda explained.

"I see… Well, as much as I hate to say it, we're going to need to destroy that bear." Shisui said, earning a look of shock from Hilda.

"What?! Why?! That's all I have left of my daughter!" Hilda cried.

"I'm sorry, but if what you say is true, then that is what is keeping the Penitent here. It's highly unlikely someone has trapped it here by cursing Fairy Hills with a Magic Circle, so that's the only other explanation for why the Penitent still roams the dormitory at night." Shisui explained.

"Oh, very well… I suppose that's better than risking the lives of the girls that live under my care. Christina was the reason I took the job as Matron of Fairy Hills. I want to keep these young girls safe and make sure they're well looked after." Hilda said as she got up out of her chair. "I'll have the bear for you when you return tonight, as agreed upon. I'll also make sure there is no-one here tonight so you can drive this beast away for good without worrying about the girls getting hurt."

"Thank you, Hilda. Rest assured, we'll get rid of this spectre for you." Shisui said as he stood up and bowed to Hilda. "Let's go, Laxus."

"Don't tell me what to do." Laxus grumbled as he stood up and marched out of Hilda's room.

Once Laxus and Shisui had left Fairy Hills and were on their way back to the Guild Hall, Shisui decided to ask Laxus to do something for him.

"Laxus, I want you to go get Freid and bring him back to Fairy Hills immediately." Shisui stated.

"Let me guess, you want him to use his Magic to set up enchantments that trap the Penitent and keep it in a Physical form?" Laxus asked without looking back.

"Exactly… But I want him to set up enchantments that work exclusively on a Penitent and enchantments that work exclusively on a Hym, not ones that work on both." Shisui stated, causing Laxus to stop and look back at him.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Laxus asked.

"Something's not adding up. When I was there last night, all the signs pointed to Fairy Hills being haunted by a Penitent, but after hearing what Hilda said, it sounds more like the work of a Hym. Think about it, she feels guilty because of what happened to her daughter; a Hym would jump at the chance to latch on to her guilt and feed off it. While it's true Penitents haunt those who have done terrible deeds by manifesting from an object that the victim feels nothing but guilt from, this is not something one would consider 'terrible'. There is something else going on here." Shisui explained.

"Tch, whatever… I'll go get Freid, you go and do… Whatever you need to do." Laxus said as he walked off.

###

While Laxus went back to the Guild Hall to take Freid up to Fairy Hills to lay down some enchantment traps, Shisui returned to the Guild Hall to inform the girls about what would be happening tonight.

"Alright girls, pack your bags; you're all sleeping down here tonight." Shisui stated once all the girls from Fairy Hills were present.

"What? Why are we doing that?" Lisanna asked.

"Since Laxus and I will be clearing out the spectre that is haunting Fairy Hills, you'll have to be moved off the premises while we work. Battling a creature like a Penitent is no simple task, and I don't want any of you girls getting hurt." Shisui explained, causing Lisanna to nod in understanding.

"So, you mean that tomorrow night, we'll be able to go back to Fairy Hills and everything will be alright again?" Levy asked.

"Well, put it this way, Penitents play for keeps. If Laxus and I are to battle it, we have to defeat it, or it'll kill us." Shisui said bluntly.

"Wow, talk about a difficult mission…" Cana muttered.

"That _is_ why most post-conjunction creatures are only handled by S-Class Wizards. Leshens, Archgriffins, Cockatrices, Fiends, Chorts, Werewolves, Ekimmaras, and Katakans… Monsters like that; all of them can only be dealt with by S-Class Wizards because of how dangerous they are." Shisui said, getting looks of surprise from the girls.

"That sounds dangerous. Are you and Laxus going to be able to defeat this thing by yourselves? Maybe I could help you?" Mirajane spoke up, before watching Shisui's hard gaze fall upon her.

"Absolutely not! There is no way you'll be able to help. You're not as experienced as me or Laxus. I'm sorry, but you'd be more of a liability than an asset. You will stay here and look after the girls." Shisui said firmly.

Mirajane simply scowled at Shisui before storming off towards the Guild Hall's main doors.

"Just where do you think you're going, child?" Shisui asked.

"I'm going to do as you said and pack my bags for the night. Or do you think I'm incapable of doing that?" Mirajane snapped before stomping off, slamming the doors of the Guild Hall as she went.

"I'll be glad when I turn eighteen… God, do I need a drink…" Shisui muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose and shaking his head at Mirajane's attitude. "Look, I know this isn't easy on any of you, but I promise Laxus and I will resolve this matter tonight. Until then, return to Fairy Hills and pack a bag. The Master will make sure you're all settled in for tonight."

The girls all looked at each other and were about to do as Shisui asked, before the doors to the Guild Hall burst open, revealing Natsu, who was carrying something very odd.

"Hey, you guys! Look at what I found in the forest!" Natsu yelled out excitedly as she skipped into the Guild Hall with his discovery held over his head.

"What is that?" Gray asked as he walked over to Natsu.

"It… It looks like a giant egg." Lisanna commented, leaning in to get a good look at the egg.

"It's not just any egg, Lisanna! It's a dragon egg!" Natsu said proudly.

"A dragon egg? That you just so happened to find in the forest? Well, stranger things have happened…" Shisui muttered as he walked over to Natsu and his egg.

"Stay away from me, Dragon Murderer! I won't let you kill this dragon!" Natsu cried, leaping on the egg and holding it close to his body.

"Whatever… I have a job to complete with Laxus anyway. You girls get a move on, it'll be dark soon." Shisui commanded as he walked out of the Guild Hall.

"Huh? What's going on? Why does that guy get a job to do and I don't?! And why is he working with Laxus?!" Natsu asked, demanding an answer immediately.

"It's a long story, but I can fill you in if you come and help me get some stuff from my room." Lisanna said with a smile as she held out a hand to Natsu.

"Well… Ok, but only because I want to know what sort of job and if it would've been worth my time or not." Natsu said, puffing up his cheeks with slight annoyance.

"I'm sure you'd've been more than capable of doing it yourself, Natsu." Lisanna said with a giggle.

###

"Have you got everything you need?" Shisui asked.

"Yeah." Laxus replied bluntly.

"Have you got the Moon Dust from Porlyusica?" Shisui asked.

"Yeah." Laxus replied again.

"What about a sword made of sliver from the blacksmith in town?" Shisui asked.

"Yeah!" Laxus replied, starting to get annoyed.

"Have you coated it in the blade oil I made for you? This spectre won't be easy to defeat with just a simple sliver sword." Shisui asked.

"YES, MOM! IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANT TO ASK? MAYBE LIKE 'HAVE I BRUSHED MY TEETH?' AND 'AM I WEARING CLEAN UNDERWEAR?'!" Laxus snapped, growing tired of Shisui's constant questioning.

"Eww, gross. Why the hell would I need to know if you're wearing clean underwear? What are you, a pervert? I know Gray is an exhibitionist, but I didn't think you were one too." Shisui responded, a smirk of victory hidden behind his collar, when he saw Laxus was about to have an aneurism.

"Alright, you funny bastard. What's the game plan?" Laxus asked, as both teens took on a serious attitude, now that Fairy Hills was looming before them.

"Well, Hilda said she'd leave the place unlocked so we can get in, and that she had a small supply of Moon Dust for us to use, but it wouldn't be enough, which is why I had you go get more from Porlyusica. That aside, you know where Freid's enchantments lie, so I'll leave you to be the distraction. However, I doubt we'll be able to defeat the Penitent or Hym, or whatever the hell it is, so easily. An enchantment trap might give us an opening, but I doubt it'll hold the creature for very long." Shisui said as he approached the gates of Fairy Hills.

"Well, whatever the plan, I'm sure this Penitent is going to be no match for the two of us." Laxus said with a smirk as he shouldered his silver sword.

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves, alright? Penitent are S-Class Monsters for a reason; this isn't a simple rescue a cat from a tree mission, you know." Shisui stated, looking at Laxus with an incredulous look.

"Heh, whatever. All I know is that once we turn this thing to monster paste, the Old Man will make me an S-Class Wizard and I can finally stop living in his shadow!" Laxus said, grinning widely.

Shisui said nothing as they both approached the doors of Fairy Hills and opened them. Just like Hilda had said, the doors to the foyer were unlocked. Wasting no more time, Laxus and Shisui walked into the main foyer and looked around.

"Look, there's the Moon Dust the Old Lady said she'd leave for us." Laxus said as he pointed to a small box by the stairs. "Jesus, she wasn't kidding when she said she didn't have much left."

"Never mind that, this must be Christina's teddy bear. C'mon, we've got to destroy this thing." Shisui said as he picked up a ragged old bear and placed it in the middle of the foyer.

Shisui held up a hand and began to focus his magic into the palm of his hand in an attempt to cast a spell that would destroy the teddy bear and the Penitent's link to their world. He took a deep breath and when he exhaled, he could see his own breath.

"It's close… Get ready." Shisui whispered, causing Laxus to become alert.

As soon as the words left Shisui's mouth, the doors to the main foyer slammed shut and the air in the building became incredibly cold. From the other side of Fairy Hills, Shisui and Laxus heard the unmistakable sound of wailing.

Drawing Moonblade, Shisui took a defensive stance with Laxus at his back, who had also drawn his sword. The way he was standing made it apparent to Shisui that Laxus had no idea how to use a sword, nor was he going to actually use it.

"Oh, shit… Look, up there!" Laxus called out and pointed to the top of the staircase.

Shisui turned around and saw a dark green light and black smoke swirling around at the top of the stairs. As the smoke began to wrap around the light, a dark, blood red cloak began to appear. The further up the smoke rose, the more of the creature had become visible, until the true, terrifying form was revealed to Shisui and Laxus.

Standing at the top of a the staircase was a creature that was dressed in a long hooded robe that was blood red, it's arms were a dark blue and had black ritual tattoos on them. Around the creature's neck were a set of ritual beads and various other black magic talismans. The hood of the robe covered the creature's head, leaving only the mouth and jaw exposed. The mouth was full of rotten, decaying teeth that were as black as the smoke that had manifested the monster, and there was a small amount of dirty, greasy hair that was left hanging out of the hood, which was longer than the monster's shoulders.

In the monster's hands were a lantern that was emitting the same, eerie, dark green light Shisui and Laxus had seen first, and in the other hand was a sharp, wrought iron poker, with the ends spiked and incredibly rusty.

Any doubts Shisui might have had prior to entering Fairy Hills on that night had now been put to rest. The creature that was haunting Fairy Hills was none other than a Penitent.

"Heh, looks like your first assumption was right; it's a Penitent." Laxus said with a grin as he began to focus his magic into one of his hands.

"Yeah, well, now I'm only concerned with stopping that thing, not celebrating the fact I was right." Shisui replied, keeping a close eye on the Penitent with Moonblade held firmly in front of him.

The Penitent let out a weak, raspy breath as it raised the lantern it was holding. Shisui could see the breath of the creature as it kept staring at them both.

With a final disembodied wail, the Penitent rushed down the stairs, almost like it was gliding instead of running. It lifted the iron poker in its hand and aimed the weapon directly at Shisui's heart…

* * *

 **A/N; Here's Chapter Two. This is where we start to see some of those other franchises come into my story. In this case, it's from The Witcher Series. It's a great series, and I thought it'd be cool to add some of the monsters from the games into my Fanfic. It's just to give it a sense of uniqueness or difference, because anyone who's ever played The Witcher will know what the monsters are like and can prove to be a handful, so I thought it'd be interesting to combine the two worlds. It's not so much a crossover, as it's purely the lore and monsters, no characters will make an appearance (not a major one, at least).  
**

 **Speaking of crossovers, I've changed my mind. I WAS going to make this a crossover, but that was just too much of a pain to try and mesh together properly, so I dropped that idea, so now it'll be a Fairy Tail Fanfic (with the odd little Easter Egg from other Animes and stuff chucked in for a bit of fun).**

 **In regards to my OC, Shisui, I actually got the idea from Hisui E. Fiore. I liked her name and thought Shisui would be cool for a guy. I actually forgot about Shisui Uchiha (as I haven't watched enough of Naruto to understand who he was or how significant he was - I just know that he died and some in the clan accused Itachi of murdering him. I don't know the whole story, but I'll get there eventually). While he is a Dragon Slayer, Shisui prefers to use his sword in a fight, using his Dragon Slayer Magic as a way to amplify his fighting prowess. You'll learn more about him as the story progresses, so I hope you find him interesting.**

 **Now, relationships in this story... As it stands, everyone is far too young to be thinking about relationships (even if certain people may or may not have crushes on others), so it'll be more about building friendships and all that stuff until everyone is of a suitable age. I'm not saying this won't be a ShisuixMira Fic, as even I don't know yet, but the main reason she and Laxus are tagged as characters is because they have the most prominent role in the story right now. It may or may not change over time, we'll see.**

 **Again, this Chapter was Beta Read by BrownSugarBae, so big thank you to him for that.**

 **I hope you enjoyed this Chapter. Feel free to Favourite, Follow, or Review; just don't be a dick. Also, if anyone is a Bleach Fan, I have a Fanfic on the go in that Anime too, so you can check that out too, if you're curious about it.**


	3. Devil's Night

Chapter Three – Devil's Night

As the Penitent lunged at Shisui with its iron poker, Shisui deflected the attack with ease. He made to counterattack by flicking the edge of Moonblade as it grinded with the hooked part of the poker to create an opening, but to Shisui's surprise, as he swung through in an attempt to bifurcate the Penitent at the waist, the creature exploded into a cloud of black smoke.

"Damn, this thing can do the same thing you can…" Laxus muttered as he began to charge his magic in both his hands as he waited for the Penitent to reappear.

"Laxus, behind you!" Shisui called out, causing Laxus to turn and fire a bolt of lightning at an incoming wraith.

"A wraith? I thought we were fighting a Penitent, not some bitch-ass wraith!" Laxus growled.

"Penitents have the ability to summon wraiths to this world to fight for them. It's a tactic they use to distract their opponents to defeat them.

"It's fucking weak if you ask me…" Laxus murmured, charging more lightning in his hands.

Taking a step back, Shisui dodged an attack by another wraith and killing the creature by decapitating it. As the Tephrite blade sliced through the wraith's body, it exploded into a pile of dust. It was at this point Shisui noticed something in the air.

"This fog… I see," Shisui muttered as he deflected an attack from another wraith and followed up by slashing at its stomach with a Shadow Dragon Claw.

"Lightning Dragon Roar!" Laxus yelled as he spat out a highly compressed blast of Lightning Dragon Slayer Magic against a fourth wraith. "What about the fog?" Laxus asked as the final wraith turned to dust upon being hit by Laxus.

"It's the Penitent. Ever since it turned into a cloud of shadows, this fog has been present and that's how the wraiths were able to enter this world. We need to keep killing these wraiths and force the Penitent back into material form," Shisui explained, trying to interact with the shadowy fog that hung around them, but to no avail.

"Well, this is going to be a pain in the ass," Laxus muttered as he punched a wraith with a fist of lightning, destroying it upon impact.

Shisui and Laxus spent several minutes fending off a wave of wraiths, until the Penitent was forced to return to a physical form once more.

"Let me see if I can hold it down! Dragon Slayer Secret Art; Shadow Chains!" Shisui yelled as he slammed his hands on the ground, casting two large magic circles on the floor; one surrounding him and the other surrounding the Penitent.

Moments later, pure black chains erupted from the ground and ensnared the Penitent, holding it in place. Upon being bound, the Penitent began to wail uncontrollably and it tried to break free from the shadowy bindings.

"Alright, Laxus, why don't you destroy this thing? That way you can tell Master Makarov that you were the one who killed the Penitent," Shisui offered, causing Laxus to scoff.

"Tch, get real! I don't need my enemies served up to me on a platter!" Laxus shouted.

Before Shisui could respond, both teens looked on as the Penitent began to break free from its dark binds, shocking Shisui.

"What?! That's not possible! Those chains are unbreakable. The only way to be rid of them is for me to remove them!" Shisui shouted.

"Looks like that's not entirely true," Laxus stated as he watched the Penitent hold its lantern over the chains that had coiled around its legs under its robe and witnessed them rapidly decay.

"It's lantern seems to be the culprit. Looks like we're going to have to smash that thing before we can defeat it!" Shisui stated, spinning Moonblade in his hand before pointing the tip at the Penitent.

Both Shisui and Laxus knew they were in for a difficult fight.

* * *

While Shisui and Laxus were up at Fairy Hills, the girls who lived there were currently occupying the Guild Hall for the night.

"Are you sure they're going to be alright? Penitents sound kinda scary, from what I've read," Levy whimpered as she looked out the window towards Fairy Hills.

"They'll be fine. Shisui is an S-Class Wizard and Laxus is the Master's Grandson. If anyone can take care of that thing, it's those two," Cana replied reassuringly.

"Yeah, I know, but… Well, Penitents are said to be able to summon wraiths from the void to fight for them; the stronger the Penitent, the more wraiths it can summon. That's what makes them so difficult to beat. They can wear down people until the point of exhaustion and then take them down without a struggle," Levy explained as Cana forcibly escorted her away from the window.

"Maybe so, but with both Laxus and Shisui fighting it, it'll be difficult for the Penitent to wear them both down at once," Cana grinned.

"Hey, have you two seen Mira? I can't seem to find her anywhere," Lisanna asked as she entered the room the girls were camping in.

"Mirajane? No, I haven't. Are you sure she's not just brushing her teeth or her hair or something?" Cana responded with a weak shrug.

"Yeah, I'm sure she's around here somewhere. Do you remember where you last saw her?" Levy asked.

"Levy… Mirajane is a person, not a missing sock," Cana stated.

"I don't know… I think she was… Oh no," Lisanna gasped, her skin going almost as pale as her hair.

"What? What's wrong, Lisanna," Cana asked, starting to become worried.

"I think I know where she's gone… We need to get the Master immediately," Lisanna cried as she rushed off to wake up Makarov.

* * *

"Laxus! Are you ok?!" Shisui called out. He had just watched Laxus try and rush the Penitent, only to get slapped through a nearby wall.

"Argh, dammit, that hurt," Laxus groaned as he pulled himself out of the rubble.

As Laxus was climbing out of the hole in the wall, the Penitent appeared before him, ready to deliver a killing blow. Laxus merely grinned as he shoved his hand into his pocket and threw some bright powder at the Penitent, causing it to wail in pain and anger.

"Huh, not bad. Who knew you had a pocket full of Moon Dust?" Shisui stated off-handedly as he leapt at the Penitent, only to be smacked across the room by the flailing Penitent. "Shit… Laxus! We need Freid's enchantments! Where are they?!"

"Upstairs! Freid never anticipated the Penitent would reveal itself to us immediately; he assumed we'd have to go looking for it!" Laxus replied as he punched the Penitent with a fist of lightning, stunning the creature temporarily.

"Then go! I'll distract it until you've found one!" Shisui yelled as he brushed off the dust on his coat.

Laxus said nothing as he ran off upstairs to find where he and Freid had placed the enchantments to trap a Penitent, leaving Shisui all alone to distract the dark spectre. Picking Moonblade up off the floor, Shisui stepped closer to the Penitent, ready to do battle.

"Shadow Dragon Roar!" Shisui yelled as spat out a torrent of shadows from his mouth that impacted with the Penitent, sending it flying across the room.

As the shadows from the attack began to dissipate, Shisui noticed there was no impact mark on the wall where the Penitent should have made contact with. It immediately dawned on him why that was.

Turning around, Shisui was greeted with the sight of the obscured, hooded face of the Penitent, the creature's breath smelling worse than a decaying corpse as it breathed on him. With no time to react, Shisui was hit in the gut by the Penitent's arm and was sent speeding backwards into the wall once more. While the initial impact was enough to daze Shisui, he was quickly revived when he heard a voice calling out his name.

"Shisui! Shisui, are you alright," The voice called out. At first it sounded far away, but as soon as Shisui recognised the owner of the voice, everything came back into focus.

"Mirajane…?" Shisui murmured as he sat up and pulled himself out of the wall he had been thrown into. Surely enough, Mirajane was standing before him.

"I've come to help you! Where's Laxus?" Mirajane asked as she helped Shisui to his feet.

"You shouldn't be here! This Penitent is too dangerous!" Shisui shouted as he picked up his sword once more.

"Don't underestimate me! I'll show you how strong I am! Take over; Demon Soul!" Mirajane shouted as she began to glow bright white, blinding both Shisui and the Penitent.

When the light died down, Shisui was looking at a very different Mirajane. Her hair had turned black and became much longer and was now hanging down her back. Her arms were covered in black markings and her hands had taken on the form of claws. Her legs were covered in black fur and her feet had razor sharp talons on them. She had also grown a long, black tail.

"What the hell…?" Shisui muttered as he witnessed Mirajane's power for the first time.

"I told you not to underestimate me…" Mirajane growled lowly. Her voice had become deep and distorted and when she turned to look at Shisui, he noticed her eyes had turned red and she had grown a set of fangs.

Mirajane returned focus to the Penitent, which began to wail once again. Crouching slightly, Mirajane leapt towards the Penitent, charging an orb of red energy in her hands.

"Soul Tear!" Mirajane yelled, driving the ball of magic towards the Penitent's chest.

Mirajane hadn't anticipated the Penitent's fighting ability, and was surprised when the creature exploded into black smoke and completely avoided the attack.

"Get out of here! You're not strong enough to face this thing!" Shisui shouted, breaking Mirajane out of her stupor.

As she turned to do as she was told, Mirajane ran directly into a hard object, which knocked her to the floor. Looking up, she saw a seething mass of shadows that began to take shape. Much to her horror, the shape was that of the Penitent.

Before she could react, the Penitent lunged at Mirajane, slamming its hand into her throat and picking her up off the floor. Mirajane couldn't even let out a scream, due to the Penitent crushing her throat.

The Penitent moved Mirajane closer to its face before opening its mouth and wailing once again. With its free hand, the Penitent reached out and touched Mirajane's forehead with two fingers before inhaling deeply. As the creature inhaled, Shisui watched as Mirajane's face twisted into a look of unimaginable pain.

As the Penitent continued to inhale, a bright light began to emanate from Mirajane and into the Penitent. After a few seconds, there was a flash of white light and when it subsided, Mirajane had reverted back to her human form and was now unconscious.

Letting out a low, ragged breath, the Penitent lowered Mirajane from its face before tossing her away and into a wall.

"Mira!" Shisui shouted as he rushed over to assess Mirajane's injuries. From a quick glance, it looked like she was unharmed, aside from being unconscious. "What the hell happened?" Shisui muttered before standing up and turning to face the Penitent.

"SHISUI! GET YOUR ASS UP HERE, NOW!" Laxus' voice roared from upstairs. Shisui immediately knew that Laxus had found one of Freid's enchantments.

Taking one final look at the Penitent, Shisui turned his attention back to Mirajane, before scooping her up in his arms and exploding into a smoke cloud that began to drift up towards the second floor. The Penitent wailed in anger as it gave chase, phasing through a wall in an attempt to catch up to Shisui and Mirajane.

* * *

"Alright, you're here, good. I've found one of Freid's traps and – What the hell is she doing here?" Laxus asked, demanding an answer as he pointed to the unconscious form of Mirajane in Shisui's arms.

"How the hell should I know? It's not like I invited her along. Foolish child could have gotten herself killed," Shisui snapped, looking down at Mirajane as he placed her up against a nearby wall.

Before Shisui could say anything else, the sound of wailing filled the air as the Penitent manifested in the hallway, about thirty feet from the two teens.

"Listen to me, Shisui, I have an idea; I'll draw the Penitent in and when it's right where we want it, we'll hit it with everything we've got, alright?" Laxus explained before receiving a nod of agreement from Shisui.

Laxus stepped forward and began to charge his lightning magic in his hands. Without a second thought, he fired a huge bolt of lightning at the Penitent. The attack was so powerful it caused the paint on the wall to liquefy just by being in close proximity to the lightning.

As the lightning bolt impacted with the Penitent, a small explosion occurred, shattering the windows and splintering the doors from the sheer force. Any normal creature would have been turned to dust by the attack. The Penitent, however, was no normal creature.

Once the dust began to settle, Laxus smirked in triumph over how easy it was to defeat the Penitent, but the feeling of victory didn't last long, as he saw the Penitent was still standing in the same spot, with no physical injuries whatsoever, except to its left hand, which it used to block the lightning bolt.

"What the fuck?! How can this thing still be standing?!" Laxus yelled in shock.

The Penitent began to growl lowly, as if it was trying to speak, but whatever it was trying to say was incoherent and hard for both Laxus and Shisui to understand. Suddenly, a bright flash of light engulfed the Penitent and clung to the spectre like a cloak for several seconds before dispelling with a burst.

When Shisui saw the Penitent, he thought he was going insane. Standing before him was not the Penitent he and Laxus had been fighting, but a totally different beast altogether.

This new creature had black markings covering its arms, and its hands had grown long, claw-like appendages, and each claw was as black as the night sky. Its teeth had been replaced with a full set of razor sharp fangs, with the canines on the lower jaw protruding out of its mouth, pointing upwards. From behind the cloak the Penitent wore was a long black tail that was carelessly waving about in the air.

Shisui had seen this before, just moments ago, and he now understood what had happened. To both Mirajane and Laxus' lightning.

"Oh, shit… Laxus, we need to be careful with our attacks," Shisui breathed while carefully watching the Penitent.

"What are you talking about?" Laxus snapped, his face twisted in a look of anger over the Penitent still being alive.

"This Penitent… It's no ordinary spectre. This one has the ability to steal powers," Shisui stated, causing Laxus to look at the Penitent with confusion.

"How the hell did you reach that conclusion?" Laxus growled, cracking his knuckles.

"That form it's taken on… Mirajane used the exact same ability just moments ago. I can almost guarantee that its next move–" Shisui began to explain, but was cut off when the Penitent raised its left hand and fired a powerful bolt of lightning from it, which ripped down the hallway and blew a hole in the wall at the end.

"Hey, that was my lightning! The fuck is this?!" Laxus yelled, still trying to comprehend what had happened.

"Like I just said; this Penitent has the ability to steal powers. That might explain how it's able to copy my Shadow Smoke technique; it must have seen me use it last night," Shisui stated, crouching down and putting his sword on the ground.

"Now what are you doing? This is no time to be taking a break," Laxus stared at Shisui, who had now sat down on the floor.

"We now know that this thing can steal our powers, which means we must proceed with caution. I think its ability works like a conduit though, meaning I might know how we can defeat it," Shisui closed his eyes and pressed his hands together.

"Oh yeah, and were you going to tell me any of this?" Laxus asked with a growl. He really didn't like it when people kept him out of the loop, which is why he preferred to work alone.

Shisui said nothing as he began to focus his magic into the palms of his hands before pulling them away from each other and creating two magic circles, one on each hand. Layering the two magic seals over one another, Shisui aimed the two circles on the Penitent, in an attempt to lock on to his target.

"Twin-Layer Dragon Slayer Magic; Shadow Shockwave!" Shisui yelled as the first magic circle began to charge up black energy into a small ball before firing.

As the shadowy energy passed through the second magic circle, the energy changed slightly and took on the form of a scythe-like blade of magic energy that burst from the magic circle at five second intervals.

The first hit ripped across the Penitents chest, tearing part of the robe it was wearing and cut deep into the skin. The second burst hit the Penitent in the left shoulder, severing the arm from the body and causing it to hit the floor with a dense thud. The third strike was meant to cut the Penitent's feet off, but the blade of shadows passed right under the Penitent's robe, doing absolutely nothing.

"Huh… So it doesn't have feet after all," Shisui commented as he ended the attack and stood up. "But, on the bright side, we did manage to destroy the lantern it was carrying!"

Laxus looked over at the Penitent and saw Shisui was telling the truth. The Penitent's left arm was the one holding the lantern, and when Shisui's spell cut the spectre's arm off, the lantern shattered upon impact with the floor.

"'On the bright side'? Is that meant to be some kind of joke?" Laxus snapped as Shisui stood up.

"What are you talking about?" Shisui asked innocently, causing Laxus to growl in irritation.

"Whatever. Just tell me what we do now. That thing looks pissed," Laxus pointed to the Penitent, which was now roaring in rage when it realised it couldn't reattach it's arm.

"Now we pull it into Freid's enchantment," Shisui muttered as he pressed his hands down on the floor once again. "Dragon Slayer Secret Art; Shadow Chains!"

Once more, a multitude of pure black chains rose up from the ground, binding the Penitent up, making it unable to move. As an added measure, Shisui made sure to wrap one of the chains around the Penitent's neck before slowly dragging it towards the enchantment.

Despite the Penitent's best efforts, it was unable to break free from the shadowy chains that bound it, and was being pulled into Freid's enchantment, roaring in anger and desperation as it inched closer and closer.

"Ha! You got the slimy fucker! Now let's see what kind of trap Freid put down," Laxus roared in triumph as the Penitent was pulled into the barrier of the enchantment and the trap was activated.

As the enchantment began to glow, a barrier of dark purple runes began to rise up from the ground, before forming legible words that Shisui and Laxus could read.

"'So should any spectre that is of post-conjunction creation pass through this barrier, it shall remain in a physical form and in a state of paralysis for thirty seconds.' Huh, looks like we hit the jackpot, Laxus," Shisui remarked as Laxus walked over to his side.

"Huh? How do you figure that? Thirty seconds isn't long, and I think the countdown has already begun. How are we going to defeat this thing in less than thirty seconds?" Laxus asked, only to have Shisui look at him and utter two words.

"Unison Raid," Shisui stated, surprising Laxus.

"Are you sure that'll even work? We're not even similar elements," Laxus pointed out.

"No, but we're both Dragon Slayers. If you want to know if it'll work, let's find out now," Shisui said as he crouched down in front of Laxus, a black aura coating him, as a sign that he was charging up his magic for a final attack.

Laxus wasted no time mimicking Shisui's actions. Standing behind Shisui, Laxus put a hand on Shisui's shoulder and began to charge his own magic, coating himself in a bright yellow aura as his energy reached its maximum levels.

"Unison Raid; Lightning Shadow Dragon Roar!" Both Dragon Slayers shouted before unleashing a torrent of lightning and shadow magic, which began to mix together, creating a vortex of shadows that crackled with lightning as it engulfed the Penitent, causing a massive explosion.

Once the chaos had subsided, both Shisui and Laxus saw the Penitent was still standing, but just barely. Behind the heavily wounded spectre, however, was nothing but the open air.

"It would appear… We overdid it," Shisui commented sheepishly, scratching the back of his head.

"Who cares about that; the Penitent is still kicking!" Laxus shouted in astonishment, looking over at the spectre, that was still trapped by Freid's spell.

"Not for long," Shisui picked up his sword and walked towards the Penitent, which was growling weakly. Even it knew its time was up.

Without uttering a single word, Shisui drove the tip of Moonblade into the Penitent's chest, the magical properties of the sword, along with its Tephrite core was more than enough to banish the monster from their world.

As the blade pierced the Penitent, the spectre let out a final, pained wail as the impact zone began to glow white before the creature burst into black flames, leaving nothing behind except a small pile of dust.

"Heh… Well, would you look at that… We actually did it," Laxus breathed as he let out a small chuckle.

"Indeed. Looks like we were able to save Fairy Hills from the Penitent... If only we didn't take half the fucking building with it!" Shisui yelled.

Shisui was always careful with his magic, trying his best not to overdo things, unlike the rest of his Guild mates, who had a penchant for destroying everything in their way. This time, however, he and Laxus had managed to decimate half the dormitory with their Unison Raid.

"Ah, who cares about that. The Old Man will just be grateful this thing has been taken care of. It's no big deal," Laxus shrugged as he walked off and leapt out of the building and back onto the ground. "But, hey, I told you I wouldn't need that toothpick you call a sword!" Laxus yelled out to Shisui, who was standing on the edge of the destroyed building.

Shisui simply shook his head before exploding into a cloud of shadowy smoke, then reappearing next to Laxus.

"It's always good to be prepared, you know. What would've happened if I didn't have Moonblade with me? I doubt we'd have been able to kill the Penitent," Shisui pointed, causing Laxus to shrug.

"Tch, semantics. You always carry Moonblade with you so that scenario is impossible to determine," Laxus replied, putting his hands behind his head as he walked back to the Guild Hall.

* * *

"ARE YOU TWO OUT OF YOUR MINDS?!" Makarov screamed when he saw what Laxus and Shisui did to Fairy Hills.

"Relax, Old Man, we did the job that was required of us. No more, no less," Laxus muttered, looking at Makarov with a scowl.

"YOUR JOB WAS TO DEAL WITH THE PENITENT; NOT DESTROY HALF OF FAIRY HILLS! Ohh, this is gonna cost me big time…" Makarov sighed, knowing he'd have to pay for the damages.

"You're right, Master, and I accept full responsibility for what happened. I kinda overdid it with my final attack," Shisui bowed in apology to Makarov.

"Look, that's not important right now. What I want to know is what happened to Mirajane. Why was she up there in the first place?" Makarov asked, getting an ignorant shrug from Laxus.

"I'm not sure, Master, but I wasn't aware that she was even there until she revealed herself to me in the midst of battle," Shisui explained.

"Hmm, well Lisanna did tell me the last time she saw Mirajane was when all the girls were up at Fairy Hills, packing some essentials for their night in the Guild Hall. It's likely she hid there and waited for you to arrive," Makarov deduced.

"Perhaps, but I don't understand what possessed her to do something so stupid. How is she doing anyway?" Shisui asked.

"Porlyusica examined her thoroughly and noted there were no physical wounds, aside from a few cuts and scrapes. Physically speaking, there's nothing wrong with her, so we don't know why she's in a coma," Makarov explained.

"Then it must have something to do with the Penitent taking her powers. I don't know how such a thing is even possible to begin with, but isn't takeover magic a form of transformation magic that bound to the user's soul? While she's perfectly fine, physically speaking, perhaps Mira's soul has been damaged from having her powers ripped out of her?" Shisui reasoned, earning a nod from Makarov.

"That seems to make the most sense, but… How was the Penitent able to steal powers in the first place? Such a thing is undocumented in the lore," Shisui sat down at the bar, next to the Master, sighing in frustration.

"Look, whatever that thing could do, it's dead now, so there's no use worrying about it. On that note, I believe you and I had a deal, Old Man," Laxus spoke up, earning a hard look from his Grandfather.

"You need to learn some manners, child. However, a deal is a deal. I'll make your promotion to S-Class official in the morning. Until then, go to bed. Your work is done here," Makarov declared, pointing to the door of the Guild Hall.

Laxus simply scoffed and walked out of the Guild Hall and back to his home. Shisui, on the other hand, got up and made his way to the second floor of the Guild, where the living quarters for Fairy Tail's S-Class Wizards was located.

"One more thing, Shisui…" Makarov called out, as Shisui was halfway up the stairs. "Don't forget about that job request I have for you! Come see me in the morning,"

"Yeah, right… I didn't forget about that, but I am interested in knowing what it is you have in store for me," Shisui sighed as he continued his climb up the stairs towards his room.

Makarov said nothing more as he hopped down off the bar and returned to his quarters as well.

* * *

The following morning was as chaotic as ever, especially after the events of the previous night. When Hilda had seen the damage both Shisui and Laxus had caused, she had taken swift action in shaking down Makarov for every Jewel the Guild had, in order to repair the damages. It was even noted by Macao and Wakaba that Makarov almost had heart failure when he saw the last chest full of the Guild's money be wheeled out of the basement on a large cart, leaving the basement as bare and barren as the day it was built.

Despite his near-death experience over losing all the money the Guild had, Makarov made good on his promise and promoted Laxus to the rank of S-Class Wizard. Everyone became even more uneasy when Laxus had created his new team, known as the 'Thunder Legion', which consisted of Laxus at the head, with Freid, Bickslow, and a girl known as Evergreen.

Evergreen had been friends with Freid since they were kids, and both joined Fairy Tail at the same time. Evergreen, however, was a bit of a narcissist, claiming to be the most beautiful girl in Fairy Tail, and as such, she refused to collaborate with any of the other girls. According to Evergreen, she felt they'd be distracted from their work, due to their jealousy over how beautiful she was. Such a statement couldn't be further from the truth, but the rest of the Guild simply filed it under the 'whatever helps you sleep better at night' category, and moved on.

The girls who all lived at Fairy Hills really couldn't care any less about Evergreen, or her narcissistic tendencies, especially after they all learned about what had happened to Mirajane. After being attacked by the Penitent, Mirajane had yet to regain consciousness. Upon speaking to Lisanna, Makarov had ascertained that the Strauss siblings' take-over magic was indeed bound to their soul, meaning that it was becoming more and more likely that Mirajane's soul had been badly damaged. Upon conferring with Porlyusica, it had been made clear to the rest of the Guild that repairing a damaged soul took far longer than any physical injury, meaning Mirajane could be out for anywhere from a few days to a few months.

Despite all the chaos, Shisui had spent the entire morning out of the way, mulling over what had happened the night before. In all of his research, he had never come across a Penitent with the ability to steal or even mimic someone's magic, yet that's exactly what had happened last night. Something didn't sit right with him, and he wanted to find out more about this unique spectre. With Shisui deep in thought, he wasn't aware that Makarov had approached him to discuss a certain job request, one that he had wanted to discuss with Shisui since the day before.

"Is everything alright, my boy?" Makarov asked, bringing Shisui back to reality.

"Oh, Master… Yes, everything is fine. I'm just thinking about what happened last night," Shisui muttered, not really focussing on Makarov, who had climbed up onto the table and was now sat directly in front of him.

"Don't dwell on things that have been, child. It'll only cause madness. I understand you're worried about young Mirajane, but Porlyusica assures me she'll make a full recovery… When that'll be, however, I cannot say. It is now up to Mirajane and her soul's will to want to heal," Makarov nodded, recalling what Porlyusica had told him.

"No, it's not that. I mean, yes, I'm worried about Mirajane, but it was her stubbornness and stupidity that got her hurt. She should have just left it to Laxus and I. I'm not saying it's her fault, but everything that happened last night could've been avoided if she just did as she was told and stayed away," Shisui replied, a little harshly than intended.

"I will not disagree with you; if she had just listened and did as she was told, then she wouldn't be in such a state, but I know what unruly teenagers are like, I've dealt with plenty in my time as both a parent and Guild Master," Makarov smirked when Shisui looked over to Laxus, who was sat at a table, with his feet propped up by another chair.

While Shisui was momentarily distracted, Makarov took the opportunity to grab a piece of paper out of his pocket, unfold it, and slide it across the table to Shisui. When Shisui turned his attention back to Makarov and noticed the piece of paper. Without hesitating, Shisui picked up the piece of paper and looked at it.

"This is the job request you've been wanting to give me," Shisui stated, more than asked.

"Indeed. Take a moment to look over it, tell me what you see…" Makarov responded, growing silent while Shisui looked over the request sheet.

To Shisui, it looked like any other job request that he had taken on since becoming an S-Class Wizard; a Dark Guild operating near a monster's nest, using the monsters of that area as a deterrent so the Royal Army wouldn't get involved, nor would most Wizards who valued their life. Two things on the page caught Shisui's eye; the description of the monster and the reward money.

The description of the monster was simply put down as 'a giant, flying lizard with wings that shine like the sun', and the reward was whopping ten million Jewel. After a few more seconds of scanning the page, Shisui put down the request and slid it back to Makarov.

"Royal Wyvern," Shisui stated suddenly.

"Very good. Is there anything else you noticed?" Makarov asked.

"Yes; the reward money is substantially high for clearing out a Dark Guild. Even with a Royal Wyvern prowling the area, one would simply need to wait for the time when the beast goes out to hunt. It's not really worth ten million," Shisui shrugged before standing up. "Well, I'll go get a bag packed…"

"Wonderful! I'll make a note of your acceptance of this quest and notify the client. You'll find them at the 'Love and Lucky' Merchant Guild in Acalypha Town," Makarov called out as Shisui made his way over to the staircase towards the second floor.

"Yeah, figures it'd be a merchant. Probably getting sick of being robbed by the Dark Guild, or terrified of being attacked by the Royal Wyvern. I'll head there as soon as I'm ready," Shisui waved to Makarov as he climbed the stairs.

* * *

It had been a while since Shisui had to leave town for a job. As such, he always had two sets of clothing; one for everyday life in Magnolia and the Guild Hall, the other for missions that were out of town or S-Class Ranked. As the mission Shisui had just accepted was both S-Class and out of town, he was currently gathering the appropriate clothing and gear that he needed.

The new outfit that Shisui had on was a black, form-fitting vest with a hood, and a pair of black pants with several pockets located on each leg. Around his neck was a black cloth that could be pulled up over his face, just beneath his eyes to create a make-shift facemask. His footwear remained the same; a pair of black combat boots. The vest had only one sleeve that covered the left arm, so Shisui wore a pair of fingerless gloves; the right handed one was a long, sleeved fingerless glove that went up past his elbow, leaving his Fairy Tail emblem that was located on his right bicep uncovered. A black cloak attached to a Dark Steel pauldron completed the look.

While Shisui was equipping himself with the appropriate gear, extra knives, food, water and other tools he might need, Laxus took the opportunity to interrupt Shisui's preparations.

"So, the Old Man is sending you out on another job? Sucks to be you," Laxus smirked in a condescending manner.

"You'd think that, but no. I chose to do this. Sounds like it could be interesting," Shisui replied as he picked up his bag.

"I can see that. You really think you're going to need your cloak for this job?" Laxus asked, upon seeing Shisui's cloak hanging down his left side.

"Who knows? It's always best to be prepared, and since I don't know what I'll be going up against, it's better to take it than risk it," Shisui shrugged, not even looking at Laxus.

"Don't give me that crap, I overheard your conversation with Gramps; you said there was a Royal Wyvern prowling that area," Laxus stated.

"Didn't the Master tell you it's rude to eavesdrop… That applies you as well, Freid and Bickslow," Shisui raised his voice at the last part, causing Freid, Bickslow and Evergreen to appear behind Laxus.

"Well, well, you've got sharp senses, haven't you? Though, I suppose I shouldn't be surprised; you _are_ a Dragon Slayer after all," Evergreen looked down her nose at Shisui, who stood up and turned around at her voice.

"Who are you?" Shisui asked, looking at Evergreen blankly.

"What do you mean 'who am I'? I'm Evergreen; the most beautiful girl in Fairy Tail," Evergreen scowled at Shisui's question.

"Oh, I see… You must've joined Fairy Tail recently, huh?" Shisui replied emotionlessly, staring at Evergreen.

"What are you talking about? I've been here as long as Freid!" Evergreen snapped.

"Really? I've never seen you before in my life," Shisui stated bluntly, causing Evergreen to growl in anger.

"How could you not have seen her before, man? She hangs out with us all the time," Bickslow commented.

"This is the first I'm hearing of it. Perhaps she's just the sort of person who blends into the background. Kinda like a tree; that would explain the name. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a job to do," Shisui walked past Laxus, Freid, Bickslow, and a furious Evergreen. Laxus couldn't help but burst out laughing at what just happened.

"Wow! Someone has no time for your bullshit today, do they Evergreen?!" Laxus laughed, which only served to stoke the fires of Evergreen's rage even more.

"Goddamn that stuck-up bastard! How dare he treat the most beautiful girl in Fairy Tail like some sort of background character!" Evergreen growled.

"Since you've been my friend since we were but children, I'll tell you this now; your narcissistic attitude makes you most undesirable. That's why everyone ignores you and treats you like an afterthought. You need to be more humble in your actions," Freid nodded at his words, agreeing with what he said.

Evergreen merely let out a frustrated yell and stormed off. Freid and Bickslow simply stood there and watched her go.

"Should we go after her? You know what happens to others when she's in a bad mood," Bickslow looked at Freid, who merely shrugged.

"Nah, just ignore her. Besides, when she's pissed, things tend to get fun around here. Too bad Mirajane isn't awake; I'd love to see those two girls tear each other to shreds," Laxus grinned darkly as he watched Evergreen stomp down the staircase to the first floor.

"Wait, that reminds me; how are we even allowed up here? I thought this floor was reserved for S-Class Wizards only?" Freid asked, only just realising that he was in a place that was off-limits to him.

"Tch, like the Old Man can tell me what to do. You're my Thunder Legion; you do as I say and go where I go. No exceptions," Laxus stated arrogantly as he began to climb the stairs back down to the ground floor.

"As someone who is very particular with their words, especially for enchantments, I feel like you should probably rethink what you just said," Freid spoke up, causing Laxus to freeze and turn to Freid.

"What was that?" Laxus asked dangerously.

"Umm, well, what I mean is… When you say we are to go where you go, with no exceptions, then that would suggest we would have to follow you everywhere. That means when you go home, or go to the bathroom or things like that," Freid explained nervously, avoiding Laxus' hard glare.

"Huh… Now that you mention it, that does sound kinda weird. I knew you were good for something. Alright, then you all go where I go, unless I tell you otherwise, got it?" Laxus looked at Freid, who nodded in agreement.

"That is a better way to put it," Freid muttered, causing Laxus to scoff and continue his walk back down the stairs.

* * *

' _Oh, look at that; a Dark Guild has a hideout in a cave, far off the beaten path with lots of bushes to hide in. If this isn't the definition of 'cliché', then I don't know what is_ ,' Shisui thought to himself as he stalked through the shrubs outside of a cave.

It had been just over a day since Shisui had set out from the Guild. He had managed to arrive and meet with the client in Acalypha Town the night before. As Makarov had told him, the client was a man who worked for the 'Love and Lucky' Merchant Guild.

Due to Shisui arriving in Acalypha Town just before midnight, the client agreed that it would be better for them to meet up properly in the morning, and then discuss the finer details of the contract. Shisui had no objections to the idea, as he was tired and really in no mood for the pompous attitude most members of Merchant Guilds usually displayed. Shisui believe that just because someone is paying lots of money to have a problem solved, it doesn't mean they have a right to act like a dick to the person they've hired.

The following morning, Shisui met up with the client and discussed the job with him. One of the first things he asked about was the legitimacy of the pay. Shisui knew that ten million Jewel was far too much for getting rid of a Dark Guild; most jobs of that nature don't even pay one hundred thousand Jewel for such a request.

While the client seemed to have taken this the wrong way, he explained that the ten million Jewel was only if the Royal Wyvern was killed too. Shisui didn't really care what the client thought, as he knew he wasn't a person motivated by money; he just wanted to clear up the uncertainty behind the unusually large reward.

While Shisui made no promises in regards to killing the Royal Wyvern, as that wasn't the main condition of the job, but he promised the client that he would get rid of this Dark Guild, who had been attacking the Merchant Guild's convoys along their designated routes, which was costing them money, and scaring most of the merchants who travelled with the convoys. The client had told Shisui some of his fellow Guild Members had been taken hostage by the Dark Guild, something which he had forgot to mention on the job request, which irritated Shisui a little, but he still took the job nonetheless.

A couple hours had passed since Shisui's meeting with the client and he had been able to find the Dark Guild's hideout relatively easy. The client had told Shisui the convoys always got attacked in the same place, so all Shisui had to do was look around and follow his nose. By doing that, he had made his way through a small, wooded area and beyond that was a large cave, which Shisui had just entered.

The inside of the cave was dark, and there were no lanterns or torches around to help him find his way. This wasn't an issue for Shisui, as it made it easier for him to infiltrate the hideout and go by undetected.

Shisui made his way deeper into the cave and quickly began to feel uneasy. Something wasn't right. This cave was supposed to be where a Dark Guild was hiding out. So why was it so quiet? Even without his enhanced senses, Shisui should've heard voices the further into the cave he went, yet there was only silence.

Despite his growing concern, Shisui carried on. There was no way he was going to back out of this job now. He and Laxus just defeated a powerful Penitent not two days ago; a Dark Guild would be much simpler.

As Shisui made it further into the cave, it began to open up into a large room, which diverged into four separate paths; one being the way he had just came from, and three that were in front of him. Knowing that just randomly picking a path and hoping for the best would be foolish, he decided to tackle the problem in a way that only he could; take all three paths simultaneously.

Using his magic, Shisui coated himself in a layer of shadow before two figures began to force themselves out from the shadows that had engulfed him. Shisui was now looking at two identical copies of himself, right down to the clothing. The two copies looked at Shisui and nodded before taking the path on the left and the right. The real Shisui took the path in the middle and continued his search of the cave.

The cave itself somehow managed to look like a maze, but it was nothing of the sort. On three separate occasions, Shisui and his clones had come across each other in a new room, despite taking different paths. At first Shisui thought the cave was protected by a form of Illusion Magic, but this theory was debunked when he left a knife in the last room, progressed to the next, then returned to the previous room via a different path and found his knife was still there.

Shisui quickly realised that the cave was designed like this, in an attempt to confuse people, meaning that Shisui was definitely in the right place. This was the Dark Guild's doing, so they had to have some kind of presence in this place.

With a snap of his fingers, Shisui dispelled the clones before covering himself in a black aura and then broke out into a run through the cave. As he got deeper and deeper, the false paths stopped appearing and all that was left was a singular path. The caves were cut into the foot of a mountain range, meaning Shisui had no idea how long these paths were, or if there were other ways out.

Not long after he began his run through the cave, Shisui arrived in a very large cavern, one which appeared to have an exit up a steep slope, as there was sunlight coming from the top of the slope. That, however, paled in comparison to what the cavern contained. Shisui could only stare in awe at what he was looking at.

Treasure. Lots and lots of treasure. There were chests piled high with gold, jewels, ornaments, heirlooms, anything thieves could think to take from merchants or other rich people who had no idea they were being targeted by a Dark Guild.

"Well, I'm _definitely_ in the right place… Jesus, just how long has this Dark Guild been targeting this area?" Shisui muttered as he wandered over to the treasure.

The gold and the jewels didn't interest Shisui at all. He simply ignored all of it and made his way over to something far more interesting. Magical tools, weapons, and Lacrima were also present among the Dark Guild's treasures.

Sat on top of a small, wooden chest was a note, scrawled by someone who had no idea how to use a pen. Shisui was certain even Natsu could have written it better, and he had no idea how to write at all.

" _Giles, here is the latest haul from those group of Wizards you sent our way. One of them had a pair of weird, magic keys on him. After you read this, I want you to take them and get them appraised. The fool of a Wizard gave his life to try and protect them. They must be incredibly valuable._ Hmm… There's no name at the bottom." Shisui read the note, albeit with some difficulty, due to the poor legibility of the writing.

Dropping the note on the floor with a shrug, Shisui opened the box and found the two keys the note mentioned, and Shisui had to agree with whoever wrote the note; the keys _were_ weird. They were both black and had dark red accents, as if they were forged from obsidian and rubies. Shisui could tell they were indeed magical. As soon as he opened the box, he felt a dark, ominous presence emanating from the two keys.

Shisui wanted to close the box and leave them here, but there was something about them that fascinated him. He was certain he was looking at a pair of Celestial Gate Keys, if the magical energy they gave off was any indication, but he knew the only kinds of Gate Keys that existed were silver and gold. Never had he heard of black and red Gate Keys.

His curiosity getting the better of him, Shisui decided to swipe the keys and pocket them. Since the owner of these strange keys was dead, Shisui figured they'd be better off with him for the time being, rather than in the hands of criminals.

Shisui took the opportunity to examine the Lacrima that were among the pilfered items, picking up each one and examining them, when one of them caught his eye.

"Hold on… This feels like… It is!" Shisui gasped, realising exactly what kind of Lacrima he was looking at.

It was a Dragon Slayer Lacrima.

The Lacrima itself was a medium-sized orb that looked a lot like a crystal ball, except it was glowing with a bright green light. Shisui had never seen such a Lacrima before, especially not a Dragon Slayer one.

This time, his curiosity could not be contained. He just had to examine it, to find out where it came from. Without a second thought, he reached out and picked up the Dragon Slayer Lacrima. That's when everything went wrong.

As soon as he touched it, the Lacrima began to glow even brighter and the light began to engulf the hand that was touching it. The light quickly ran up Shisui's arm and began to circle around his entire body, causing him immense pain.

Crying out in pain, Shisui fell to his knees with the Lacrima still in his hand. He tried to let go, but his hand wasn't responding to his command. He couldn't move any part of his body. All he could do was kneel there and just suffer.

After a few moments of intense pain, the light from the Lacrima subsided and Shisui was finally able to release it. As the Lacrima fell to the ground, Shisui fell forward, using his hands to stop him from falling face first into the dirt.

"Dammit, I'm so stupid! I should've know they would've booby-trapped the fucking thing!" Shisui growled as he clenched his fist, grabbing a fistful of dirt in the process.

That wasn't the end of Shisui's problems, however. While he had fallen victim to the trap on the Lacrima, he was unaware that another presence had joined him in the cavern.

Now fully aware of his surroundings, Shisui found himself face to face with a giant construct of stone and earth. He inwardly cursed himself for not taking the time to check for traps inside the cavern.

Shisui was looking at an Earth Elemental. A giant construct created by magic to make a Golem out of rocks and earth, using magical cloth to bind the creature together and give it life. This form of Animation Magic was discovered by Wizards a few centuries after the Conjunction of the Spheres, meaning most people classed all Elementals as Post-Conjunction creatures. It was obvious that one of the members of the Dark Guild had left this creature behind to serve as a guardian to protect their loot from intruders.

"Oh, great… Just what I need," Shisui sighed as he stood up and faced the Earth Elemental.

He knew his sword was going to be ineffective against the construct, unless he found the monster's 'heart', which was a Lacrima core that gave the cloth bindings their magical energy. If he could find that core, he could easily pierce it with Moonblade.

Knowing Earth Elementals bordered on the A-Class and S-Class Rank, Shisui knew he needed to take the creature down quickly, as the longer the battle dragged on, the more dangerous it'd become. However, being comprised of nothing but rocks and earth, Earth Elementals were notoriously slow, meaning Shisui had the advantage with speed.

Sticking the tip of Moonblade into the ground, Shisui lunged forward, coating his left hand and arm in shadows, before launching his attack at the monster.

"Shadow Dragon Claw!" Shisui slashed at the creature, his shadow magic tearing small chunks of rocks from the construct's body, causing the Elemental to roar loudly.

The attack didn't hurt the Elemental, as it didn't have a central nervous system like humans. All the attack did was piss the creature off and cause it to perceive Shisui as an immediate threat which needed to be eliminated immediately.

The Golem let out another angered roar before it began to charge at Shisui, moving at such speeds that it surprised Shisui, who had no idea Earth Elementals could even run, given their immense size and weight.

Pulling Moonblade out of the ground, Shisui ran towards the creature, exploding into a cloud of shadows seconds before the Golem swung a giant stone fist at him, a giant stone fist that certainly would have killed Shisui if it had made contact with him.

Appearing behind the Earth Elemental, Shisui sliced Moonblade against the creature's back, causing sparks to fly as the metal blade grinded against the rocks. Shaking his head, Shisui began to rethink his actions.

"Well, that went about as well as expected. How the hell am I going to defeat this thing?" Shisui muttered as the Golem turned around and looked directly at Shisui, despite the creature having no actual eyes, or even a face.

As Shisui continued to stare down the faceless guardian stood before him, he noticed his vision started to blur. Closing his eyes and shaking his head, he tried to clear up his vision, but to no avail. He fell to one knee, with a hand over his left eye, glaring up at the Earth Elemental with his right eye and grit his teeth.

' _Dammit, I need to stop screwing around. Whatever these bastards used as a trap on that Lacrima is starting to badly impair my vision. I need to finish this now.'_ Shisui stood up and used his sword as a crutch to keep himself at a vertical base before he began to gather up all the magic energy he had, and released it in one powerful attack that was sure to hit the Golem.

"Shadow Dragon Roar!" Shisui unleashed a massive vortex of shadows, that spun in a raging cyclone towards the stone construct and engulfed it in one powerful wave of shadows that looked more like black fire than actual shadow.

The raging torrent of shadows hit the Golem and consumed it for a good ten seconds before finally dissipating, leaving a noticeably damaged, yet still standing Earth Elemental.

The attack did what Shisui had wanted it to do, however. The blistering force behind the attack had shredded pieces of the Golem's body off, revealing it's Lacrima core to be in the head of the monster, much to Shisui's surprise.

"Huh… I wouldn't have guessed they put the core in the creature's head. I guess that's pretty smart," Shisui sighed as he collapsed to the ground, exhausted from expending almost all of his magic energy.

While he was sat down on the ground, he pulled out one of his knives and held it in his hand. He knew he only had one opportunity to do this. If he missed this, he was dead.

The Earth Elemental let out another angered roar and began to charge at Shisui. As the monster was stampeding towards him, Shisui inwardly cursed himself for his curious nature. He just _had_ to pick up that damn Lacrima…

Once the Elemental was about ten feet away from Shisui, he lifted up the knife and took aim at the Lacrima core, in an attempt to split it as the monster rushed towards him. However, that plan all fell apart, just like the Golem.

"What the…?" Shisui looked at the construct with confusion evident on his face.

As soon as the monster got within five feet of ending Shisui's life, it simply crumbled to pieces right before his eyes. Forcing himself to his feet, Shisui made his way over to the pile of rubble that was once an Earth Elemental. The first thing he picked up was the Lacrima core.

"Curious… The Lacrima core is undamaged, yet the Elemental still fell apart. Hmm, most curious," Shisui muttered as he drove the knife through the Lacrima and shattered it.

Allowing the shards from the core to fall out of his hand, Shisui went back and examined the rubble. When he began to sift through the pile of earth, he noticed something that only added to the mystery.

"The rocks have been broken down into sand… How is that even possible? I know my attack was powerful, but it's not _that_ powerful. It can't turn rocks into sand. What is going on here?" Shisui muttered as he let the pile of sand fall through his fingers and back on to the ground.

Nothing about the Earth Elemental made sense to Shisui. It was supposed to be a magical construct of rocks and earth, held together with special cloth imbued with Animation Magic, which was powered by the Lacrima core inside the monster. Since the Lacrima core wasn't damaged when the Golem fell apart, there should have been no way such a thing could happen.

Another mystery was the Dragon Slayer Lacrima. Why was that the only one the thieves had booby-trapped? Shisui was well aware just how expensive Dragon Slayer Lacrima were, but that begged the question; why was the Dragon Slayer Lacrima the only item booby-trapped?

Shisui thought back to the small box with the two black and red keys he had taken a few minutes ago. Based on the content of the note he had read, it sounded like those two keys were far more valuable than the Dragon Slayer Lacrima; especially if what the note said about the previous owner dying to protect them was true.

There were many thoughts and questions rushing through Shisui's head, and he wanted answers to those questions. Standing up, Shisui made his way over to the Dragon Slayer Lacrima and looked down at it. It was still glowing with the same bright green light that it was giving off before Shisui touched it, meaning whatever trap had been placed upon the Lacrima was still active. Shisui figured it was most likely an advanced form of Body Link Magic that had multiple charges.

Removing the cloak from his shoulder, he threw it over the Lacrima and proceeded to pick it up. If he didn't make physical contact with the Lacrima, then the Body Link Magic wouldn't work. He wrapped the Lacrima up and stored it in his pack, for safe transportation.

With one final look back at the pile of sand that used to be an Earth Elemental, Shisui began to make his way out of the cavern by way of the exit atop the steep incline he had noticed when he first entered the cavern.

* * *

Two days after the incident in the cavern, Shisui had returned to Magnolia Town to report back to Makarov. The mission had technically been a failure, as Shisui never took down the Dark Guild, nor the Royal Wyvern that was supposed to be in the area.

While he hadn't fulfilled the job requirements, that didn't stop him from walking away from the job with a cool one million Jewel, courtesy of the client, after Shisui had told him that all the stolen goods were inside the cave and they could just go recover it.

Originally, the client was only willing to part with a mere three hundred thousand, but increased the reward to one million after his wife had scolded him for being so cheap, especially since Shisui had located all the stolen items and defeated the Earth Elemental that was guarding the cavern. Shisui had a pretty accurate moral compass to be sure, but even he wasn't dumb enough to turn down a large sum of money, especially after all the trouble he went through. He did, however, notice the odd looks the Merchant Guild members had given him when he returned to Acalypha Town.

After all the chaos of the past couple of days, Shisui was glad to be back home in Magnolia Town. As he forced the doors of the Guild Hall open, he scowled as he moved his head to the left slightly, so as to avoid being hit by a chair that had been flung towards him.

The chair hadn't been deliberately thrown at Shisui, he had just simply walked in on a fight, which was really no surprise, especially when he saw that Natsu was involved.

"Come back here and fight me, Laxus!" Natsu snapped as he tried lunging at Laxus, only to be stopped by Bickslow, who had grabbed a hold of his scarf.

"Whoa there, little man! There's no way a kid like you can stand up to Laxus. Just give it up," Bickslow suggested, as Natsu began to flail about, in an attempt to get free.

"Let me go!" Natsu shouted defiantly.

"Dammit, Natsu, would you knock it off already?! You know Laxus won't fight you, so why are you even trying?!" Gray yelled as he hit Natsu on the back of the head.

"Oww! What'd you do that for?!" Natsu growled as he turned around and started to butt heads with Gray.

"Ok, I'm out. You two kiddies have fun beating the crap out of each other," Bickslow sighed as he released Natsu and walked off.

"You need to stop acting like an idiot! Laxus is an S-Class Wizard now! Even if he did agree to fight you, you'd only end up in the infirmary like Mirajane!" Gray shouted, still butting heads with the young Dragon Slayer.

"Wait, Mira's still in the infirmary? Hasn't she woken up yet?" Shisui asked as he approached the two arguing boys, causing one of them to freeze up in fear.

"Huh? Oh, hey, Shisui. You're back," Gray greeted as he turned around and did a double take. "What happened to you?"

"What do you mean? Oh, you must mean… Right, yeah; I had to go exploring a few caves, ended up getting into a fight with an Earth Elemental, so I'm kinda dirty," Shisui shrugged as he looked down and noticed the dirt all over his clothing.

"I told you he was a monster! Look at him!" Natsu cried out, pointing at Shisui, as he backed away and fell over a chair he had thrown at Laxus' general direction prior to Shisui's return.

Naturally, this outburst got everyone's attention and now they were all coming over to see what was going on. When they all got a look at Shisui, they rubbed their eyes to make sure what they were seeing was real.

"Shisui, are you feeling alright?" Levy asked as she wandered up towards Shisui.

"No, Levy! Stay away from him! He'll turn you into a monster too!" Natsu cried out.

"Shut up, Natsu, you idiot! No, but seriously Shisui, what happened to you?" Cana asked as she slapped the back of Natsu's head and walked over to Shisui, a look of concern on her face.

"Umm, nothing…? I'm just a little dirty and exhausted from the job I was on, Earth Elementals are no laughing matter," Shisui explained, growing more confused by the minute.

Shisui had noticed that both Elfman and Lisanna were watching him, trying to keep their distance, and even Laxus and his Thunder Legion were now looking at him as if something were off.

"Interesting… It would appear he is unaware," Freid muttered, examining Shisui closely.

"I'll say. They weren't like that before he left, were they?" Bickslow asked.

"No, they weren't. Tch, it's probably just some joke he's playing to try and scare these wimps," Laxus scoffed as he looked down at the younger members of the Guild.

"What's going on down here? Natsu, how many times have I told you to stop trying to pick fights with people, let alone Laxus?" Makarov spoke, making everyone turn their attention to the Master, who had now moved into the circle of people that had surrounded Shisui, Natsu, and Gray.

"Master, tell us, do you see what we see?" Freid asked as he pointed at Shisui, causing Makarov to look at him carefully.

"Hmm, is everything alright, my boy? Are you sick?" Makarov asked as he noticed what Freid was referring to.

"What? No, I'm fine. I'm just a little tired, that's all. Seriously, what is with you guys? It's almost like you've never seen someone who's tired before," Shisui commented, looking at everyone in the Guild.

"I see… Very well, then answer me this, Shisui; what colour are your eyes?" Makarov asked, catching Shisui off guard.

"Huh? They're gold. What kind of question is that? Master, what is going on?" Shisui looked at Makarov with confusion.

"See for yourself," Makarov replied. "Reedus, would you be so kind?"

"Oui!" Reedus nodded and began to paint something.

It took Reedus just a few moments to complete his painting, and when he was done, he waved a hand over his painting, causing it to take on a physical form. Reedus had painted a mirror, which he proceeded to pass to Shisui.

As Shisui took the mirror and looked in it, he now saw what everyone else could see. In his surprise, he dropped the mirror, causing it to hit the ground and explode into dust, which quickly disappeared.

"What the hell…? Why are my eyes _green_?!"

* * *

 **A/N; Right, here's Chapter Three. I hope you enjoyed it and like the direction the story is going, as this Chapter will prove to be important in terms of storyline later on down the line, just like some elements of my Bleach Fanfic were important for later on in the story.**

 **Honestly, I'm surprised by how many people have read the first two Chapters; I figured it wouldn't be very popular because the MC is an OC, and some people's OC's can be boring, arrogant, or many other things that are just off-putting. So, thank you for reading, I appreciate the fact you took the time out of your day to read my Fanfic.**

 **Feel free to leave a Review, or Favourite/Follow this story; it's always nice to hear what you guys think of the story and what you guys think of the story as a whole.**

 **Until next time, guys.**


	4. A Soul's Bane

Chapter Four – A Soul's Bane

Everyone in the Guild Hall looked at Shisui; a stunned silence descended on everyone present. Based on Shisui's reaction, it was apparent to all that this wasn't a joke, and that something had caused Shisui's eyes to turn green.

"Shisui, what happened on that job?" Makarov asked, breaking the silence.

"Well, long story short, I found a cave where the Dark Guild had been occupying, or at the very least, been using as a place to store all the things they had stolen. Someone had gone to a lot of trouble to dig out multiple tunnels to confuse people into thinking there were many paths, when there was really only a single, linear path. Eventually, the tunnels opened up into a cavern where there were chests full of gold, jewels, and other valuables," Shisui began as he recounted everything that happened in the caves.

"Did you take any of it?" Laxus asked, getting an odd look from Shisui. "The gold and shit, I mean,"

"You must be out of your damn mind. I don't steal from people, and neither should anyone else in this Guild," Shisui stated, looking around at everyone, who nodded in agreement.

"Tch, goddamn Goody Two-Shoes…" Laxus muttered, scowling.

"Anyway… That's not all there was in there. It looks like they have also been targeting Wizards and stealing from them as well in what looks like a well organised sting operation. I found these in a small box along with a note that made mention of someone sending unsuspecting Wizards on a job and having the Dark Guild ambush them," Shisui explained as he reached into his jacket and removed the two keys he had taken from the caves.

"Hold on, didn't you just tell everyone we shouldn't steal?" Laxus asked as he saw the two keys in Shisui's hand.

"Yes, what about it?" Shisui asked, looking at Laxus with a raised eyebrow.

"Then why did you steal those keys?" Laxus pointed to the two black and red keys that were in Shisui's hand.

"What do you mean? I didn't steal these," Shisui stated as he held up the keys.

"Then how did you come across them?" Laxus growled, starting to get angry.

"Like I said, I found them in the cave," Shisui replied, smirking as he continued to aggravate Laxus.

"Yeah, but how did they get there? They didn't just magically appear in there, did they?!" Laxus snapped.

"Of course not, the Dark Guild took them from a Wizard who was a victim of their trap," Shisui shrugged.

"Ha! So you _did_ steal them!" Laxus yelled.

"No, I didn't. The Dark Guild stole them; I just repossessed them," Shisui responded, grinning at how easy it was to antagonise the Guild's newest S-Class Wizard.

"That's the same as stealing, you idiot! They belonged to someone before the Dark Guild took them, so you should return them!" Laxus shouted, scaring the younger Guild Members.

"I'm afraid that's impossible…" Shisui muttered.

"Oh, and why is that?" Laxus responded through gritted teeth.

"They're dead," Shisui responded, suddenly becoming serious. "Master, these keys look a lot like Celestial Gate Keys, but I've never heard of black and red ones before, have you?"

"Give them here, child…" Makarov held out a hand, prompting Shisui to hand the two keys over to him. "Hmm… They do feel like Celestial Spirit Keys. I wonder if we can summon the spirit that is bound to this key…"

"That's not a bad idea. As far as I'm aware, anyone can summon Celestial Spirits; all you need is a small amount of Magic Energy to summon the most basic spirits," Shisui mused, rubbing the back of his head.

"Shisui is right, anyone can be a Celestial Wizard, the only reason there are so few is down to the fact there are so few Gate Keys," Levy spoke up, getting everyone's attention. "From what I've read, there's plenty of Silver Gate Keys, but the spirits they summon aren't really good for fighting. The only ones that are are the spirits summoned with Gold Gate Keys, but there's only twelve of them,"

"Exactly, and since there's so few Celestial Spirits that are good for combat, people who want to be Wizards in a Guild would normally prefer to have magic that's good in combat," Freid finished, nodding in agreement with Levy's statement.

"Very well, let's just see what kind of spirit this hey holds," Makarov began, as he held up one of the keys.

The key that Makarov held up had a tip that looked a lot like a flame, while the head of the key had an engraving of the sun on one side and a crescent moon on the other. Both the tip and the two engravings were red, while the main shaft and majority of the head were black.

"Ahem… I call upon you, Celestial Spirit bound to this key! Let this serve as a link between your world and ours so that you may hear my call, for I beckon you to my side!" Makarov called out, holding the key out in front of him, as if he were attempting to unlock a door.

Much to everyone's disappointment, nothing happened. There was no response, not even a flicker of light to show that the spirit had heard the call to manifest in the human world.

"Well that was… Anti-climactic," Gray muttered, quickly losing interest and wandering off.

Slowly, one by one, the rest of the Guild began to disperse, leaving Shisui and Makarov standing on their own.

"Hmm, looks like I was wrong about these keys after all," Shisui muttered as Makarov returned the keys to him.

"I'm not so sure… I mean, they do look a lot like Celestial Gate Keys. Maybe they're a new form of Gate Key that was recently created, one that very few people know how to use?" Makarov suggested.

"Perhaps, but surely we'd have heard something about it? It's not every day a new set of Gate Keys are discovered; news would have quickly spread if that was the case, yet I've heard nothing, and it seems no-one else has either," Shisui responded as he put the keys back into his jacket. "Oh, before I forget, I also came across this…"

Shisui removed his bag and started to rummage around inside it, before removing a balled up cloth, which he proceeded to put on the bar. The moment Shisui put the object on the bar, both Natsu and Laxus quickly took notice of the magic energy that was radiating from the cloth.

"What's this?" Makarov asked as he went to put a hand on the cloth.

"Stop! Master, don't touch that!" Shisui yelled, causing Makarov to recoil very quickly. "It's not safe to touch…"

"Then why did you bring it here?! Goodness, are you trying to give me heart failure?!" Makarov shouted, placing a hand on his heart and taking a deep breath.

"I meant that it's booby-trapped with a form of high-level Body Link Magic. I was foolish enough to fall victim to the trap, but it would seem that I am now immune to the trap's effects. I cannot speak for the rest of you, however," Shisui explained as he unwrapped the cloth, revealing an orb that was glowing bright green.

"Is that what I think it is…?" Makarov whispered as he moved closer to the orb in order to get a better look.

"Yes, that is a Dragon Slayer Lacrima. I have no idea where it came from, but it must be incredibly valuable, as it was the only Lacrima that they used this Body Link Magic on," Shisui explained as both he and Makarov examined the Lacrima closely.

"Fascinating… What kind of Dragon Slayer Magic do you suppose it holds?" Makarov muttered.

"No idea, but if the colour was anything to go by, I'd assume something like Grass or Nature," Shisui responded.

"Where the hell did you find that?" Laxus demanded an answer, more than asked a question to Shisui.

"I found this in the cave. I would strongly advise you don't touch it, as it's been protected by some kind of Body Link Magic," Shisui explained, not looking away from the mysterious Lacrima before him.

"Looks like it could be a Poison Dragon Slayer Lacrima. I mean, the colour does suggest something resembling that of a toxic substance," Laxus muttered as he too began to examine the Lacrima.

"I would have assumed the same thing, however, I've seen a Poison Dragon Slayer Lacrima before, and it radiates a dark purple magical energy," Shisui responded as he stood up and stretched.

"Where have you seen a Poison Dragon Slayer Lacrima?" Laxus raised an eyebrow at Shisui.

"Crocus, about a year ago. Not long after I became an S-Class Wizard, actually. Apparently, someone had just bought for their collection of magical artefacts. I have no idea how they got it, but it sounded like the real thing. For fifteen million Jewel, you would hope so," Shisui explained as Laxus also stood up. "Actually, that gives me a great idea. Master, I would like to take both the keys and this Lacrima to Crocus to have them both examined by the aforementioned collector of Magical items. If anyone will know more about these items, it is this person… Or so I am led to believe," Shisui turned to Makarov, who began to stroke his moustache.

"Hmm… Yes, that does seem like a good idea. Alright, I give you permission to go and find out more about this Lacrima and those mysterious keys you found. Perhaps this collector will have some idea of what both these items are," Makarov nodded, satisfied with his reasoning.

"Tch, maybe you can take your little girlfriend too! I'm sure that'll put her in a good mood for once!" Laxus laughed, but ended up being smacked over the back of the head by Shisui.

"Grow up, Laxus. I thought you were meant to be the mature one here, yet you're acting as stupid as Natsu," Shisui walked off, before stopping in his tracks, realising that he had forgotten something very important.

"This is a Dragon Slayer Lacrima? It looks pretty lame to me…" Natsu muttered as he sat on a bar stool and examined the green, glowing orb in front of him, putting a hand out to touch it.

"Don't touch that, Natsu!" Makarov and Shisui both yelled simultaneously, but their cries fell upon deaf ears.

Natsu reached out and touched the Lacrima, resulting in the bright green crystal-like object to emit a bright burst of light before… Nothing. Absolutely nothing happened.

"Why can't I touch this thing, Gramps? Oh, it's it because it belongs to Shisui and he'll use his nightmare magic on you if you do?!" Natsu yelled, pointing at Shisui.

Natsu tried his best to look angry, but Shisui quickly realised his eyes and voice betrayed his outward appearance. While his face showed anger, his eyes and voice revealed something totally different; fear.

"No, the reason you weren't supposed to touch it was because it was meant to be booby trapped with a high levelled form of Body Link Magic. Though, I have been wrong before…" Shisui muttered as he approached Natsu, who quickly put the Lacrima back on the bar and hopped off the bar stool he was on and made himself scarce.

Shisui, not one to take any chances, simply wrapped the cloth around the Lacrima once more before he put it back into his pack and walked off upstairs to his room.

* * *

Half an hour after returning to his room, Shisui did nothing but lay down on his bed and play with the two keys, spinning them around in his fingers as he examined them.

"What exactly are you…? What secrets do you hold, if any at all?" Shisui muttered.

"Umm… Sh-Shisui?" A small voice called out from the doorway. Shisui knew who the owner of the voice was.

"What's wrong, Lisanna? Is everything okay?" Shisui sat up and positioned himself on the edge of his bed.

"Umm, well, not really. I-It's Mira…" Lisanna mumbled as she meekly stepped into Shisui's room.

"What's wrong? Has something happened?" Shisui asked, beginning to grow slightly concerned.

"I don't know… Mira woke up a few hours ago, not long before you returned, actually, and well… She, umm… She refuses to speak to anyone. She won't even talk to me, or Big Brother Elf. I'm worried about her," Lisanna explained, her face and voice proving that she was indeed worried.

"Right, and what do you want me to do about it? It's highly unlikely that she'll talk to me if she's refusing to talk to you or Elfman. That being said, I do want to see how she's feeling," Shisui ran a hand through his hair as he spoke.

"Miss Porlyusica was able to create something to help speed up the recovery of Mira's soul the day you left; Miss Porlyusica can create almost anything! She's the best!" Lisanna smiled widely.

"Huh, well that's something… I didn't know such an item existed. There aren't a lot of creatures out there that can damage the soul," Shisui responded, somewhat impressed by Porlyusica's healing skills.

"What are you waiting for? Come on!" Lisanna cried, grabbing Shisui's hand and pulling him up and out of the room.

"Whoa, hold on Lisanna!" Shisui shouted, surprised by the display of strength the small Strauss girl had displayed, which had caught him off guard and caused him to drop the two keys he was holding.

With little resistance, albeit some protesting, Lisanna managed to drag Shisui downstairs and over to the infirmary, where Mirajane was currently resting.

"Mira! Mira! Look who I found!" Lisanna chirped, shoving Shisui into the room.

At Lisanna's words Mirajane, who was lying down in her bed, looked over to see Lisanna and Shisui standing by the door. Shisui simply waved at Mirajane, but her response surprised both Shisui and Lisanna.

When Mirajane saw Shisui standing there, she scowled at him, before turning over and lying back down again.

"It would appear someone is in a bad mood," Shisui looked over his shoulder to Lisanna, who shrugged in response.

Sighing, Shisui wandered over to Mirajane's bed and crouched down so he was looking at her face. When Mirajane opened her eyes and saw Shisui in front of her, she yelped before hiding under the covers of her blanket. Once again Shisui looked over to Lisanna with a confused look, but this time, Lisanna's response was simply to giggle.

"Well, hi Mira… It's, uh, nice to see you're finally awake. How are you feeling?" Shisui asked, trying to initiate conversation with the lump of blanket that was currently Mirajane.

"Go away…" Mirajane's muffled voice muttered from under the covers. Had it not been for Shisui's enhanced senses, he wouldn't have heard her speak.

"Not until you talk to me. I want to know what on earth-land possessed you to do something so reckless the other night. You could have died," Shisui stated, his voice firm but full of concern.

"So what? I'd be better off like that anyway…" Mirajane mumbled, her response stunning Shisui temporarily.

"Just what the hell kind of response is that?!" Shisui yelled, shocking both Mirajane and Lisanna. "Just how selfish are you to think that because you got hurt that'd you'd be perfectly fine with being dead?! You'd be perfectly fine with leaving Lisanna and Elfman behind to deal with your death?"

"Why do you care?! You'll just move on and forget about me, just like everyone else! Elfman and Lisanna can take care of themselves just fine!" Mirajane yelled, her muffled voice sounding very clear to both Shisui and Lisanna.

"Mira… I-Is that what you think; that we'd forget about you?" Lisanna whispered, tears beginning to form in the corners of her eyes.

"So what if it is?! It's not like I'd be able to protect you from anything anymore…" Mirajane yelled. Shisui could tell by the pitch of Mirajane's voice that she too was about to cry.

"Listen to me, Mira; I'm not leaving this spot until you tell me what in the hell is going on with you. What's caused you to start thinking like this? Tell me, because I'm greatly concerned and Lisanna is really upset, as well as frightened," Shisui spoke, his voice not losing its firm tone.

"I lost…" Mirajane began, her voice dying down as she spoke.

"What was that? I didn't catch all of that," Shisui said, trying to get Mirajane to speak up.

"I said I lost…" Mirajane repeated, but her voice again growing to a whisper as she continued to speak.

"Mira, you're going to have to speak up. My senses might be strong, but even I can't hear you when you speak as loud as a Church Mouse," Shisui explained, blinking in surprise as the blanket Mirajane was hiding under was tossed up into air as Mirajane stood up on her bed and looked at Shisui with tears in her eyes

"I SAID I LOST MY MAGIC!" Mirajane screamed.

The next few moments passed by in complete silence, save for Mirajane's ragged breaths as she tried to keep herself from crying.

"Hmm… It is as I feared then…" Shisui stood up and walked over to Lisanna, who was trying to wipe the tears from her eyes. "Lisanna, go fetch the Master. He'll need to know about this,"

Lisanna simply nodded and left the infirmary quickly to find Makarov. As soon as Lisanna left, Shisui closed the door and returned to Mirajane's bed, pulling up a chair before sitting down in it. Shisui then pointed to the edge of Mirajane's bed before speaking.

"Sit," Shisui demanded, surprising Mirajane, who did as she was told. "First things first, let's get something straight; never, and I mean _never_ say you'd be better off dead or that your life has no meaning. Not only do you have Lisanna and Elfman, but you have an entire family in this Guild who love and care for you and would do anything for you, myself included,"

"Yeah, but I–" Mirajane tried to protest, but was stopped when Shisui held up a hand to silence her.

"No buts. So, you lost your ability to use Take-Over Magic; so what? There are many other Magics out there that you can use. Why don't you try learning something new? How about Celestial Magic? Anyone can use that magic," Shisui shrugged, trying to come up with a suggestion.

"But I don't want to learn new magic, I want my Take-Over Magic back!" Mirajane cried, starting to feel helpless.

"That might not be possible, Mira. You know as well as I do that Take-Over Magic is a form of magic that is bound to your soul, making it possible to morph yourself, or parts of your body into something else, be it living or inanimate; everything has a soul, which is why it's so versatile. However, that Penitent damaged your soul when it sucked your Take-Over form out of your body and took it for itself. The damage may be permanent," Shisui explained.

"What are you saying?" Mirajane whispered, knowing exactly what Shisui was going to say to her.

"I'm saying that, should the damage the Penitent caused to your soul be permanent, it's likely you'll never be able to use Take-Over Magic again," Shisui stated with a firm, definite tone.

After Shisui had spoken those final, damning words, Mirajane sat on the edge of her bed in silence, trying to comprehend what she had just heard.

"You… You can fix this, can't you? You're smart! You know everything there is to know about these creatures! You're Fairy Tail's expert monster hunter! Not even Gildarts knows as much about them as you do! There must be _something_ you can do!" Mirajane cried frantically, the reality of Shisui's words had begun to set in, but she refused to believe them.

"That's enough, Mira!" Shisui snapped, grabbing Mirajane by her shoulders, his bright green eyes seemingly staring into her soul through her dark blue eyes. "I _thought_ I knew everything there was to know about Penitents, but that creature Laxus and I faced a few nights ago… No Penitent has the ability to take other Magics, yet this one could. All the lore I had read about the Penitent went out the window the moment I found out it could steal other Magics and use it for itself,"

"Your eyes… What happened to them?" Mirajane asked, only just realising they weren't their usual golden colour.

"Don't change the subject, Mira… I know this is hard for you, but you have to accept the fact that you might never be able to use your Take-Over Magic again," Shisui turned his head and looked over to the door to the infirmary, his enhanced senses picking up movement from outside the door.

"If what you say is true, Lisanna, then we will figure out how to proceed. For now, we'll just have to play this whole thing by ear, that's all we can do until Porlyusica arrives and examines your sister," Makarov explained as he entered the infirmary, followed by Lisanna, Elfman, Levy, Cana, and almost all the kids in Fairy Tail.

"Porlyusica? What can that old she-beast do?" Natsu's voice called out from somewhere in the throng of people, followed by the sound of a hand slapping his head. "Ow! What'd you do that for, Gray?!"

"You're being an idiot. Porlyusica is Fairy Tail's best healer. If there's anyone who can help Mira, it's her," Gray's voice replied coolly.

"I hope you two aren't fighting again…" A girl's voice spoke, surprising Shisui, who also noticed Mirajane's expression darkened somewhat when she heard the voice.

"Uhh, no! I was just telling Natsu why the Master needs Porlyusica!" Gray explained, a tinge of fear in his voice.

"Aye!" Natsu cried out, his voice also laced with fear.

"That's what I thought… Now, what's going on here? Has Mirajane really lost her powers, or is she just looking for attention again?" The girl asked, stepping out of the crowd and stood at the front of everyone, looking at Mirajane with a small smirk.

The girl in question was the same age and height as Mirajane, and had brown eyes. She was wearing a plain, knee-length, long-sleeved white dress with a red ribbon tied around her neck, doubling as an ascot. She wore a pair of black tights and brown, leather shoes, while over the dress, she wore a metal breastplate and shoulder guards. A sword was strapped to her waist and her scarlet hair was tied up into a single braid at the back of her head.

"Erza…" Mirajane growled out through gritted teeth, clenching her fists in anger.

"Oh, hey Erza. When did you get back?" Shisui asked, holding up a hand of acknowledgement to greet the young girl.

"A few minutes ago. Cana called me back to the Guild yesterday. So much for becoming the Guild's newest S-Class Wizard," Erza replied, a slight scowl on her face.

"Cana called you back? How was she able to do that?" Shisui asked, genuinely intrigued.

"She made me a calling card that she can use to contact me, no matter where we are in the world," Erza smirked as she pulled out a card from her pocket, which had a cartoony drawing of Cana on it, with the word 'Call' written across it in block capitals.

"Hey, that's pretty cool! Cana, I want you to make one of those for me, I think many people would benefit from me having one of those," Shisui looked over at Cana, who smiled.

"Okay, sure! I can do it now, if you like?" Cana asked as she pulled out her deck of cards and fanned them out in her hands.

"Why not, Porlyusica's gonna be a while, and it's better than sitting around waiting. I'll be back soon, Mira," Shisui turned to Mira before putting a hand on her shoulder and giving it a reassuring squeeze. Shisui then stood up and walked no more than five paces before stopping dead in his tracks.

A searing pain began to course through Shisui's body; a pain so intense that he fell to his knees and clenched his fists in pain. He was aware of voices around him calling out, but he was in too much pain to be able to actually comprehend what they were saying before he succumbed to the pain and passed out.

* * *

When Shisui woke up, he realised several hours had passed and he was now all alone in the infirmary. He quickly concluded that Porlyusica had been and gone in the time he was out, not before examining him, and giving Mirajane permission to leave the infirmary herself.

Sighing and shaking his head, Shisui pulled himself out of bed and left the infirmary too. He knew he was feeling well enough to leave, and he didn't really feel like lying around doing nothing. A s he made his way to the door and opened it, he saw that most of the Guild were still in the Guild Hall.

Macao and Wakaba were already half-drunk and had several tankards on their table that had been full of alcohol at some point. Gray and Cana were sat on their own, playing with Cana's deck of cards. It was likely that Cana was trying to predict Gray's fortune, but with the bored expression on the boy's face, Shisui could tell it wasn't going very well.

Elfman, Lisanna, and Mirajane were all sat together too. Elfman and Lisanna were engaging in a conversation, but Mirajane was off in another world, glaring over at Erza, who was standing over a terrified Natsu as she was trying to teach the boy basic literacy skills.

Laxus and his 'Thunder Legion' were nowhere to be seen, and neither was Makarov, but that didn't really bother Shisui. Laxus had become a pain ever since he was promoted to S-Class Rank, and Shisui didn't have the time to deal with his arrogance. He did, however, marvel at just how quickly Laxus' attitude had changed, all within the space of a few days, but it certainly wasn't for the better. As for Makarov, he was more than likely dealing with some important Guild business. That, or he was trying to find some way of apologising to Porlyusica for making her come all the way to the Guild Hall for such trivial matters.

Shisui simply shrugged and wandered off into the Guild Hall. He had to start planning his next course of action, in regards to figuring out the origin of those keys and the Dragon Slayer Lacrima he had found.

Wrapped up in his own thoughts, Shisui was unaware of a small, blue-haired girl quickly approaching him from his right. The girl, however, was carrying a large stack of books, so she couldn't see Shisui and as a result, the pair crashed into each other, falling to the ground in a pile of books and limbs.

"Owww! I'm sorry, I wasn't looking where I was going!" Levy cried frantically as she opened her eyes and sat up, before she found herself looking at Shisui. "Oh, hey! It's nice to see you up and about, Shisui! How are you feeling?"

"Nice to see you too, Levy. I've been better, but it's nothing to worry about. What're you doing?" Shisui asked as he looked up and saw Levy smiling down at him, before picking up one of the books she was carrying. "Hmm? _'Tales of the Ancients; A Collection of Stories on Mythical Beasts and Ancient Monsters'_. What's this for?"

"Oh, that? Well, I've been doing some more research on those monsters you fight and it's led me to find out more about them," Levy explained as she took the book from Shisui and began flicking through it. "There's one creature in here that grabbed my attention, and I thought–" Levy began but was cut off by Shisui.

"That's most interesting, Levy, but do you think you can do me one small favour before you continue?" Shisui asked as Levy looked down at him and nodded. "Would you please get off me so I can get up?"

"Oh! I'm so sorry! Here, let me help you!" Levy stood up and offered her hand to Shisui; her face red with embarrassment.

When the pair had collided, Levy had managed to fall on top of Shisui, and when she sat up she had unknowingly perched herself on Shisui's stomach.

"Ah, thank you. Alright, let's pick these books up and find a table, then you can tell me all about this creature of yours," Shisui picked up a book before handing it off to Levy, and then proceeded to pick up five more. _'How does a girl this small have the strength to carry so many books? There must be at least twelve books there,'_

"This is so stupid! I don't get it!" Shisui and Levy heard Natsu cry out in annoyance and looked over to see him tear up the piece of paper he was using and set it on fire. This action resulted in him being hit on the head by Erza.

"You fool! Don't just give up because you don't get it! It's not that hard of a word to spell! Keep trying!" Erza scolded as she slammed a new piece of paper down on the table in front of Natsu, who grumbled as he picked up his pencil again.

"It seems Natsu isn't progressing as well as Erza would like," Shisui commented as he watched Erza glare down at the pink haired Dragon Slayer as he continued to write words on the page.

"It seems so. Say, how did Erza end up teaching Natsu how to read and write? I heard he couldn't, but apparently no-one knew about it until a few months ago," Levy asked while watching Natsu struggle under Erza's hard stare.

"Ah, that… Well, a few months ago, Natsu was looking over the job request board and picked out a job he wanted to take. Before he could go and take it to Makarov, he was stopped by Erza, who asked him what he had just picked up. Turns out Natsu had no idea what job he had taken because he didn't know how to read properly. The reason he took it was because the reward was substantially high," Shisui explained as he watched Natsu and Erza.

"Really, what was the job?" Levy looked at Shisui with curiosity.

"Hmm, now what was it again…? Ah, yes! It was a job to clear out some Rock Troll who had taken up residence on the bank of a river that was a prime fishing location. The Troll was throwing rocks at the fishermen and taking the fish for itself. I'm sure I don't need to tell you that Rock Trolls can be very dangerous if you make them angry, plus I'm pretty sure that one would have tried to eat Natsu for lunch," Shisui responded, turning his attention back to Levy.

"I think I've read something about that somewhere. So, what happened to the job, did Natsu end up taking it?" Levy asked.

"Nah, Erza told him he wasn't allowed because he wasn't strong enough. After loud protests from Natsu, Gray told him he was being stupid for not listening to Erza. Natsu called Gray a 'stupid stripper', and Erza smacked the pair of them for being idiots before taking the job herself. Those two always manage to get on her bad side, but I can understand where she's coming from; she doesn't like having her friends fight," Shisui quickly looked over at Natsu, who was still being put under the whip by Erza, then over to Gray, who now had an astounded look on his face. Cana's fortune telling must have surprised him somewhat for him to react that way. "Anyway, what was this creature you were telling me about?"

"What? Oh! It was from that book you picked up! The one about ancient and mythical beasts. Let me find it…" Levy grabbed the book from the top of the pile as she began to flick through the pages, murmuring to herself as she went. "Ah-ha! I found it!" Levy turned the book to Shisui, showing him the page. Shisui took one look at the page before seeing one word he had hoped he'd never have to see again. Immediately after seeing that word, he slammed the book shut and ignited it with black fire, completely eradicating it.

"Levy, I want you to listen to me and listen well. Never, and I mean _never_ speak of this creature to anyone else, understand?" Shisui commanded. His voice was quiet but was still very powerful.

"Okaaaaay…? Why?" Levy looked at Shisui with great confusion.

"The creature you were looking up is the Dagon. The Dagon is a post-conjunction creature of immense power. Almost every other kind of creature and beast pales in comparison to the Dagon. It's pure _evil_ ," Shisui whispered, putting great emphasis on the final word.

"But… But, it's just a story. That book you just destroyed is full of stories about mythical beings," Levy tried to reason, but Shisui shook his head.

"No, it is very real. Believe me when I say that, for I would not lie to you about such a thing," Shisui looked Levy dead in the eye, his bright green eyes slightly unnerving Levy, who was used to his usual gold eyes.

"W-Well, how would you know? The book said the Dagon is an ancient creature of myth. The would suggest it was around hundreds of years ago," Levy gulped, feeling somewhat intimidated by Shisui's current demeanour.

"I was raised by Skiadrum, Levy. He's a dragon who's been around for centuries. When I was a child, Skiadrum would tell me stories of the Dagon, and how it went head to head with one of the most powerful dragons in existence, if not _the_ most powerful… Yet the Dagon could not be defeated. It is an immortal being, that is so powerful and so destructive it leaves a trail of destruction a mile wide when it steps foot on dry land. It's so powerful that some people even began to worship and treat it like a god, whether that was out of fear or not… I cannot say," Shisui interlocked his fingers and placed his hands over the lower half of his face, covering his mouth as he began to think.

"Hold on, you said something that I don't follow," Levy began, getting Shisui's attention. "You said the Dagon leaves a path of destruction when it steps foot on dry land. Is it a sea creature or something?"

"Hm, I'm impressed; most people would over look that little, yet very important detail. You're half right; the Dagon, while not a sea creature, does prefer the water for its home. It usually resides in large bodies of water, like lakes, reservoirs and even swamps, if it's desperate enough. I don't know why the Dagon likes water, but make no mistake; it does not become weak and powerless when it dries out or lives on the land, like most water-based monsters do. The Dagon, as far as I'm concerned, has no discernible weakness. Even Skiadrum sounded afraid when he spoke of the beast," Shisui had a pensive look on his face when he finished speaking. Levy was about to respond, but was interrupted when she heard shouting coming from across the Guild Hall.

"Argh, forget this! I don't get it!" Natsu yelled as he pushed everything off the table onto the floor in anger.

"Stop being so childish, Natsu! How do you expect to become an S-Class Wizard when you don't know how to read or write?" Erza snapped as she picked up everything Natsu had pushed onto the floor and slammed it back on to the table.

"Who cares?! When I'm an S-Class Wizard, nothing will be able to defeat me, so it won't matter!" Natsu yelled, causing Erza to scowl.

"Don't be stupid Natsu. You know that there are all sorts of deadly beasts out there that can best even the most powerful S-Class Wizards. Just look at that Penitent Shisui and Laxus defeated the other day. They had to level Fairy Hills just to defeat it, and both of them are powerful Wizards," Gray interrupted, starting to get annoyed by Natsu's childish ranting.

"Actually, Gray, that was just Laxus and I going overboard. We could have probably contained the damage and made it minimal, but we didn't so…" Shisui explained with a shrug as he walked over, with Levy close behind.

"Stay out of this, Dragon Murderer! No-one cares what you can do!" Natsu shouted bravely, becoming greatly unnerved by Shisui's green eyes as the fixed themselves upon him.

"'Dragon Murderer'? Just what are you–?" Erza looked from Natsu to Shisui, clearly unaware of what Natsu meant, before she was interrupted.

"Hey, don't talk to Shisui like that! You don't know if that's true or not!" Mirajane yelled, punching Natsu in the back of the head.

"Mira, stop it! That was completely uncalled for!" Erza shouted, glaring at her 'frenemy'.

"Says who? I won't have people say things like that about my friends, and since you're too inept to do something, I have to!" Mirajane growled, returning the glare Erza was giving her.

"Oh, this is not going to end well…" Shisui muttered as he looked down at Levy, who was stood next to him and nodding in agreement.

"Did you just call me inept? What's that supposed to mean?" Erza whispered dangerously.

"Would you like me to get you a dictionary so I can tell you what it means? Maybe you can teach the word to Natsu, since you're so intent on teaching him new words!" Mirajane smirked, knowing her attempts to piss of Erza were working.

"Nope. I'm out. There's no way I'm getting involved in this," Gray declared as he walked off holding his hands up in the air.

"Someone has to take charge and teach people new things, and since you have the social skills of a Rock Troll, I don't think you'd be the best one to do it," Erza growled.

"Why does it have to be you? You're only thirteen; you're just a kid yourself! Shisui would be a much better option; even Freid would be better than you!" Mirajane retorted, starting to get very aggravated.

"Well, for one, Natsu hates me and Freid's way of talking would go right over Natsu's head, as Freid speaks in a manner in which only highly intelligent people would understand" Shisui explained as he tried to make his way in between the two arguing girls in an attempt to stop and altercations that might unfold.

"You know that's right! I'll always hate you, Dragon Murderer!" Natsu shouted, causing Shisui to scowl at him, which made Natsu shut up immediately.

"Did Natsu just agree that he's an idiot?" Cana muttered as she wandered over next to Levy to witness the argument between Mirajane and Erza.

"Why do you keep calling Shisui 'Dragon Murderer'? I demand to know right now!" Erza turned to Natsu, expecting him to start talking.

"Oh, here we go again! The great and powerful Erza, demanding something from someone! Maybe if you got off your high horse and asked every once in a while, people might actually respect you," Mirajane growled, clenching her fists in anger.

"Excuse me, but people _do_ respect me! Besides, at least I still have my powers! What happened to yours? Lost them while trying to play 'Hero'?" Erza sneered, folding her arms across her chest.

"At least I was brave enough to stand up to that Penitent! Where the hell were you?" Mirajane yelled.

"Since when did anyone ask you to 'help'? I have no doubt Shisui and Laxus were more than capable of handling it without you, and I'll have you know I was off training because I was planning on succeeding in this year's S-Class Wizard Trials! Something you'll never be able to achieve," Erza growled, glaring dangerously at Mirajane.

"Uh-huh, sure. I know you, Erza. You pretend you're strong by telling people what to do and acting like you're tough, but you're the weakest person in the Guild," Mirajane responded, clearly hitting Erza's last nerve.

"That's enough, Mira! Be the bigger person and just walk away! Same goes for you, Erza! Stop this childish display and just walk away," Shisui snapped, getting tired of the insults both girls were throwing at each other.

"He's right you know. I don't have time to trade petty insults with you, Mira. I have better things to do with my time," Erza scoffed as she walked off, grabbing Natsu by his scarf and dragging him away against his will.

"Really? What would that be, crying like the little baby that you are?" Mirajane retorted, causing Erza to stop in her tracks.

"What did you say?" Erza hissed, turning to look back at Mirajane.

"You heard me. I know you're nothing more than a cry-baby who is always hiding from other people so they don't see just have weak and pathetic you really are!" Mirajane sneered, pointing a finger at Erza, who was now glaring darkly at Mirajane.

"I said that's enough, Mira! Stop this childishness at once!" Shisui shouted, glaring down at Mirajane.

"You… You bitch! I'll kill you!" Erza screamed as she pulled out her sword and lunged at Mirajane, intent on cutting her.

Shisui, knowing the situation had gotten far too out of hand to remain passive, took swift action by grabbing Erza's collar as she jumped past him, while pulling Mirajane by the wrist in order to keep her from getting hit by Erza's sword.

The moment Shisui grabbed both girls, something very strange happened to him. Upon making contact with the pair, a bright flash of light temporarily blinded him, before his vision returned, but everything looked… Different.

Everything around Shisui had become bright green, the same colour that his eyes had become. The only thing that wasn't bright green were the people around him. They had all become black silhouettes with a flame burning at the centre of their chests.

Erza had a bright red flame. Natsu's flame was orange. Levy's was bright blue, while Gray had a pure white flame, and Cana's was yellow. Lisanna's was purple and Elfman's was green, but when his eyes travelled to Mirajane, he noticed something odd.

There was no flame in Mirajane's chest. All he could see was a tiny spark of pink right at the centre, hardly noticeable. Upon seeing the lack of a flame present in Mirajane, Shisui knew exactly what he was looking at.

He was looking at the souls of all the people around him. Suddenly feeling drained of energy, Shisui dropped Erza and fell to one knee as his vision returned to normal. Within a few seconds, it was all over. It happened so fast that Shisui felt like he had simply imagined it, but he knew he hadn't; the fatigue he felt was proof what he saw was real.

"What the hell was that?" Shisui whispered as he looked at the floor, taking in a few deep breaths.

"Hey, Shisui, are you alright?" Cana asked as she tapped Shisui on the shoulder.

"Yeah… Ugh, yeah, I'm alright. I just… I didn't think such a thing was possible," Shisui muttered as he shook his head to dispel the weariness he felt before standing up again.

"What was possible?" Cana asked, cocking her head to the side in confusion.

"I… Well, I just saw the soul of each person in the room," Shisui responded, getting stunned looks from people.

"Our… Our souls? How?" Levy asked, not quite believing Shisui.

"I have no idea, but I could see them all, clear as day. Except… Except yours, Mira. Yours was the only one I could barely see," Shisui turned to look at Mirajane, who simply stared back at him.

"What do you mean? Are you telling me I don't have a soul?" Mirajane asked, looking down at herself.

"Hmph, it would explain why you're such a bitch all the time," Erza grumbled from her spot on the floor.

"Erza!" Shisui growled. "No Mira, you have a soul, it's just… Very weak, which isn't a surprise. It explains why you can't use your Take-Over Magic, but I don't know if the damage is permanent. For now, I'd say there's a small chance you'll be able to recover your powers, but we'll have to wait and see,"

"Hold on. Since when could you see souls? I'm not buying it," Gray added, scowling slightly.

"I don't know, it's never happened before. But I'm not lying, every one of you all had a flame burning in the centre of your chest, each one a different colour. Seriously, why would I make this up?" Shisui looked at Gray, then to everyone else present.

"I have to agree with Shisui; he wouldn't lie about something like this. What has he got to gain from doing something like that?" Cana asked, taking Shisui's side, which caused more people to agree that Shisui wasn't lying.

"You said our souls were different colours? Ooh, what did mine look like?!" Lisanna asked excitedly.

"Yours was purple, Lisanna. Elfman, yours was green. Cana, you had a yellow soul, while Gray's was pure white, and Levy's was blue. Erza's was red, and Natsu had an orange one. Mira, while your soul was the smallest, I could see that it was bright pink," Shisui listed off each person's soul one by one.

"That's actually really cool, but how did you learn to see people's souls? Have you been learning some more magic while you were away?" Lisanna asked.

"No, I didn't have the time, but…" Shisui paused, slowly starting to put the pieces together. "That's it!"

"Huh? What's it?" Lisanna looked at everyone with confusion as Shisui took off upstairs in an explosion of black smoke.

"This Lacrima… I think I was right in my earlier assessment; it must be a Nature Dragon Slayer Lacrima," Shisui returned seconds after leaving in another burst of smoke, placing the Lacrima on a table for everyone to see.

"What makes you say that?" Erza asked, poking the orb with her sword.

"Think about it; Nature is based on the living world around us – the very essence of life. Now, what's one important aspect of human life and nature? The soul. Without one, we'd just be shells; no personality or uniqueness. We'd simply be emotionless creatures that felt nothing and would not live, rather we'd just wait until our body grows old and we die," Shisui reasoned.

"Wow, that sounds depressing. Are you sure Gray has a soul? That sounds like something he'd say," Cana giggled, earning an irritated growl from the young Ice Wizard.

"No, Gray totally has a soul; there's no way he'd strip naked and show everything off without one," Levy added, causing Gray to grow more annoyed.

"Hey, I do what I do out of habit! You wouldn't understand," Gray muttered, crossing his arms and scowling.

"Yeah, you're right; I wouldn't understand why I'd have the urge to randomly take my clothes off," Cana responded. "Actually, I'm surprised you've gone this long without – Are you serious?!"

In the time between Cana and Levy poking fun at Gray for taking his clothes off out of the blue, Gray had done exactly that, and was now stood in front of everyone in just his boxers.

"Oh, come on! How did this happen? Stupid habitual…" Gray mumbled, becoming incoherent as he picked his clothes up and put them back on. "There, better?"

"Yes, thank you," Cana nodded.

"Look, stripping habits aside, I need to go get this Lacrima examined by someone in Crocus. As far as I'm aware, they seem to have a monopoly on rare, magical items in Fiore – maybe they'll be able to tell me what kind of Dragon Slayer Magic is in this thing, and what these two keys actually are," Shisui removed the two black and red keys from his pocket and held them in between his fingers.

"Did you get permission from the Master?" Erza asked, almost as if she were trying to challenge Shisui.

"No, Erza, I thought I'd simply break the rules and leave without telling him first," Shisui replied sarcastically, placing a hand on her head and ruffling her scarlet locks.

"Hey, don't sass me! I only got back a few hours ago!" Erza shouted, feeling slightly embarrassed by Shisui's comment and actions.

"Yeah, so did I, but the Master and I had a quick discussion about both the Lacrima and these keys. Even he thinks I should go and find this collector," Shisui explained, looking down at Erza with a smile.

"Hmph, alright then. If the Master says you can go, then I guess it's ok…" Erza grumbled.

"Aww, what's wrong, Erza? Are you going to miss Shisui?" Natsu asked in a mocking tone.

"Silence you fool!" Erza shouted, swiping her sword at Natsu and cutting a few hairs off the top of his head.

"Aahh! I'm sorry! I didn't mean it!" Natsu cried, getting down on his hands and knees in an attempt to apologise to fired up redhead before him.

"Ease off, Erza. He's just having fun…" Shisui said as he knelt down and whispered in Erza's ear. "Besides, you acting like that only makes you look like you're trying to hide something,"

"What did you say?!" Erza yelled, swinging her sword at Shisui, who grabbed and stopped it with his bare hand.

"Hmm, not bad… You've got some impressive strength… But it seems you've overdone it with the training. Your sword is blunt. Hell, even a wooden sword would've done more damage. I'm actually amazed you were able to give Natsu a haircut with such a dull edge. Go see Andreas in the morning; I'm sure he'll be more than happy to sharpen your sword for you. In fact, you can come with me when I go see him. There's something I have to pick up from him anyway. Might as well kill two birds with one stone, as the saying goes," Shisui released the sword and showed Erza the palm of his hand where he had caught her sword. It was a little red from the impact, but there was no cut.

"Alright, fine. I guess a blunt sword would be useless if I want to go out on jobs," Erza muttered, sheathing her sword.

"Good… Now, back to what we were discussing; has anyone actually seen the Master?" Shisui looked at the crowd before him, who all shook their heads. "Of course… Fine, I'll mention it to him again in the morning; it's no big deal,"

With a final shrug, Shisui picked up the Lacrima and returned to his room in order to prepare for his inevitable journey to Crocus in the morning.

* * *

The following morning, Shisui had woken up and found Erza waiting for him on the first floor of the Guild Hall, which didn't really surprise him. Erza was the sort of person who was always punctual; a trait that Shisui had to respect.

"So, Erza, how are you feeling this morning?" Shisui asked as the pair made their way through Magnolia Town to visit Andreas, the town Blacksmith.

"I've been better. My butt still hurts because you dropped me on it yesterday though," Erza muttered, trying her best to intimidate Shisui.

"While unintentional, consider that your punishment for trying to attack Mira. What were you thinking? I've told you time and again to be the bigger person and just walk away, and not just yesterday either, yet you won't," Shisui turned to look at Erza, who quickly looked down at her feet.

"She started it! She was the one who hit Natsu! If she had just stayed out of it and kept her big mouth shut, none of this would have happened," Erza shouted, trying to justify her actions.

"It doesn't matter who started it, you should have left it to me to solve. You could have said nothing and let me handle it. As much as Natsu may hate me, I'm not going to sit by and watch people hurt him," Shisui replied firmly.

"That's something I still want to know. Why _does_ Natsu hate you? Before I left a few months ago, he looked up to you because you are a Dragon Slayer like he is," Erza look at Shisui expectantly, causing him to sigh.

"Alright, you're going to find out sooner or later, I suppose it'd be best if I was the one who told you… I kinda overdid it with some illusion magic that I used and I may or may not have mentally scarred him because of it," Shisui explained.

"What did you do?" Erza asked, narrowing her eyes suspiciously.

"Let me start from the beginning… I've been having these recurring dreams. Actually, they're more like nightmares, in which I kill Skiadrum. Every single time, the outcome is always the same; Skiadrum dies by my hand. Due to the consistency of these dreams, I am unsure if it's a simple nightmare, or a repressed memory. When Natsu found out, however, he immediately assumed I had killed Skiadrum and would not listen to reason. I tried showing him how the dreams felt to me through my illusion magic, but I ended up terrifying him to the point where he now hates and fears me," Shisui said, looking directly in front of him the entire time.

"Wow… That's not good. Still, as boneheaded as Natsu is, you definitely made a foolish choice," Erza reprimanded Shisui, causing him to laugh slightly. "What's so funny?"

"You, a thirteen year old, telling me that I made a stupid decision. I guess the shoe is on the other foot now, isn't it?" Shisui sighed and shook his head.

"Perhaps, but I can see you had the best interests behind your choice, so it's not like you did it to deliberately hurt him," Erza shrugged.

Feeling somewhat surprised by Erza's mature reaction, Shisui said nothing as the pair wandered the empty streets of Magnolia Town as they got closer and closer to Andreas' shop; the sound of hammer striking metal growing louder and louder with each step. Upon reaching Andreas' shop, Shisui knocked firmly on the door before entering.

"Shisui! How wonderful to see you again, my boy!" Andreas boomed as he turned around to see Shisui and Erza at his door. "And you've brought a friend as well? Wonderful!"

"Andreas, I'd like you to meet Erza Scarlet. Erza, this is Andreas; one of the finest blacksmiths in all of Fiore," Shisui introduced the two individuals.

Shisui wasn't exaggerating when he said Andreas was one of the best. In fact, Andreas was one of the only few blacksmiths left in all of Fiore who didn't rely on magic to create his wares, it was for this reason Shisui always went to him for new weapons. That, and the man in question knew how to work with Tephrite.

"A pleasure to meet you, Miss Scarlet. Now, how can I be of service?" Andreas bowed to Erza before straightening up to look at his two customers.

Erza took the opportunity to get a good look at the large man standing before her, and the sight astounded her.

Andreas was the size of a bear. He was at least seven feet tall and his body was packed with muscle, something that didn't surprise Erza, given the fact this man had been working at a forge since before she was born. His long brown hair was tied up at the back to keep from getting in his face while working, but he had a large, bushy beard that looked like it hadn't been shaved in several months. One of his large, muscular arms was covered in tattoos, while the other one was clean, save for all the soot he was currently covered in.

"I was hoping you could sharpen Erza's sword for her. She's been away training a lot and just got back yesterday; her sword is so blunt it couldn't even cut me," Shisui explained as Andreas' blue eyes met with Erza's sword that was hanging at her waist.

"Hmm… Give it here, lass. Let me have a look," Andreas held out a huge hand and Erza handed him her sword. She was surprised by how little her sword looked in his hands. "Oh, my… You really have worn this thing down, haven't you? Not to worry, I'll have this sharp again in a flash!"

"Actually, Andreas, do you think you could galvanise the blade with silver? Erza intends on being Fairy Tail's next S-Class Wizard, and if she wants that to happen, she'll need to have a sword that can harm monsters," Shisui explained as Erza looked at him with shock.

"Are you out of your mind?! I can't afford that!" Erza whispered.

"Who said you were paying for it? Consider it a gift; my way of supporting you to become the Guild's next S-Class Wizard," Shisui responded, giving Erza a casual, 'no big deal' shrug.

"Fine… But it's not like I need your help or anything!" Erza retorted, crossing her arms with a huff.

"Of course not, you're more than capable of looking after yourself; that much I know about you from what you've told me. That being said, it's always nice getting new things, isn't it?" Shisui looked down at Erza with a smirk on his face. Erza simply said nothing.

"Ah, speaking of new things, Shisui, those items you had me craft for you have been completed. I've been meaning to deliver them to you, but I've been quite busy lately," Andreas spoke from his seat at the nearby grindstone, where he was currently sharpening Erza's sword.

"Oh, you mean the…? Excellent! I had been wondering if they were ready yet. This is very good news," Shisui replied, getting a confused look from the small girl next to him.

"What are you two going on about?" Erza asked, practically demanding an immediate answer.

"My, my, aren't you a fiery one?" Andreas laughed as he set Erza's sword down and stood up. "One moment, you can see for yourself,"

Andreas walked off into a small room that he used for storing the goods he had crafted for clients that were awaiting pick up. After a few minutes, he returned from his little storeroom with what appeared to be a matching pair of leather bracers. He handed them both to Shisui, who immediately put them on.

So, how do these work?" Shisui held up his arms, indicating to the bracers he had just put on.

"Hmm, well, I haven't tested them myself, as they're designed to fit you, and only you, but based on the schematics you brought me, I'd say all you have to do is flex the muscles in your forearm. That movement should activate the spring-lock mechanism and should make them work," Andreas explained, examining the diagrams he had pinned to the wall.

"Just flex my forearm muscles, huh?" Shisui repeated before doing exactly as Andreas had instructed.

When Shisui tensed the muscles in both forearms, he heard a soft click before a pair of black blades sprung out from the bracers; each roughly the length of his forearms. Shisui could only nod in an impressed manner.

"Ah, yes… Just as I thought. Then, by that logic, simply doing the opposite should cause them to retract," Andreas scratched his chin as he examined his handiwork.

Just as Andreas had predicted, by relaxing the muscles in his forearms, the two blades retracted, hiding themselves in covered shafts on the underside of each bracer.

"Most impressive, as always, Andreas. There is however, one question I have for you…" Shisui began as he adjusted the straps on the right bracer.

"Oh? Is something not right with the fit?" Andreas asked, looking a little concerned.

"No, it's not that; they both fit perfectly. I'm curious to know why the blade and track on the left bracer is different to that of the right," Shisui held up his left arm and brought the blade back out. Sure enough, the lower half of the left blade looked more like a handle than anything, whereas the right blade looked exactly like what it was meant to be; a simple blade.

"Oh, that… Yes, I'm sure you'll like this; release that blade again, but as it slides out, twist you hand inwards and try to grab the blade by the part that looks like a handle. You'll understand everything then," Andreas explained with a smile.

Shrugging, Shisui did as Andreas suggested. As he released the blade, he bent his hand inward and grabbed the blade. Much to his surprise, the blade easily came off the track and turned into a knife that he was able to hold in his hand.

"Now _this_ is impressive," Shisui muttered as he began to toss the knife up in the air, checking its balance.

"Mhmm, I thought you'd like it. The schematics basically outlined how this particular blade is able to break away and become a knife; good for combat or anything else that requires a sharp object. I must know; where on Earth-Land did you find these blueprints?" Andreas looked at Shisui, hoping that he'd divulge more secrets to him.

"Well, several months ago, I took a job down near Fiore's Western Boarder. The job was to clear out an abandoned villa that had been overrun by Kikimores. Nasty little buggers, let me tell you. Anyway, while I was exploring the villa, I came across a secret room – I know, I know, it sounds really cliché – but inside were hundreds of old books and parchments. Most of the works in there were old, damaged, or totally illegible, except for those schematics, which I found in a lockbox in the room. I could tell they were a design for a weapon, so I decided to pick them up and bring them back to Magnolia with me. I figured if anyone could build the weapon in those blueprints, it would be you. Looks like I was right," Shisui explained, shrugging at the end.

"Well, I am flattered that you think so highly of me. It wasn't easy that's for sure, especially trying to build the blades with a Tephrite core, which I know you're fond of, which is why it took me so long, but I am satisfied with the outcome and I hope you will be too," Andreas bowed to Shisui, who simply nodded in return before removing his bag, which he proceeded to dig through.

"I have no doubt I will be, and here is your payment; three hundred thousand, as agreed upon when I brought the schematics to you. I'll also give you an extra fifty thousand for improving Erza's sword. I trust this will be enough?" Shisui asked as he pulled out a large bag of coins, which he proceeded to hand to Andreas.

"Oh, absolutely. This is more than enough for services rendered. Thank you for your patronage, young Shisui," Andreas bowed once more as he took the money Shisui handed to him.

"Three hundred and fifty thousand Jewel?! Now I _know_ you're out of your mind!" Erza yelled as she watched the transaction between Shisui and Andreas take place.

"What makes you say that?" Shisui turned and looked at Erza with confusion.

"What do you mean?! You just handed over three hundred and fifty thousand Jewel like it was nothing!" Erza responded, still shocked by what she had seen, and by Shisui's casual response to her outburst.

"Well, it kinda _is_ nothing to me. Let me ask you something; how long have I been an S-Class Wizard?" Shisui asked.

"Just over a year," Erza replied, shrugging slightly.

"Uh-huh, and in that time, how many jobs have I taken that were for destroying Post-Conjunction creatures?" Shisui looked at Erza, who was now beginning to piece everything together.

"Wow… I have no response for that," Erza mumbled.

"It's simply that money just means very little to me. I accept the rewards simply because I have to earn a living and maintain and upgrade my equipment. How much I spend – on myself or others – is inconsequential," Shisui shrugged as he adjusted the bracers on his arms once again.

Erza simply sat where she was, saying nothing while swinging her legs back and forth before turning to Shisui and speaking again.

"How long are you going to be away for? That was something you and the Master never discussed," Erza asked, thinking back on Shisui's conversation with Makarov before they left the Guild Hall, which was more for Erza's benefit than Shisui's.

"I should be back in a few days, maybe a week. All I have to do is find this collector and get them to look at both the Lacrima and these keys," Shisui responded, pulling the two keys out from his pocket. "Actually, I should probably keep these in my bag. I'd rather not lose them on the way; it's a long way to Crocus,"

"Yeah, and if you did lose them, I'd never let you hear the end of it," Erza smirked as Shisui put the keys into a small pocket inside his bag.

"Hmm, well aren't you a gracious person?" Shisui mocked, making Erza stick her tongue out at him.

"Oh, before I forget; did you–?" Erza began, but was interrupted by Shisui, who pulled a card out of his coat.

"Yes, I already have it. Cana has mine too," Shisui held up the card which Erza was going to ask about. It was one of Cana's 'Calling Cards' she had created to keep in contact with Shisui if necessary.

"When did you get that? I never saw you get one," Erza asked, narrowing her eyes slightly.

"Last night while I was preparing to leave. I had her make one for me, simply because it's beneficial for all of us and convenient too," Shisui shrugged, placing the card back in his coat pocket.

"Hmm, what cards did you draw?" Erza immediately asked, catching Shisui off guard.

"Huh? Cards?" Shisui stared at Erza blankly for a moment.

"Yeah, what cards did you draw from Cana's deck? Y'know, the four cards that you draw becomes your signature, allowing her to combine them with her magic to make her calling cards," Erza explained, rolling her eyes at Shisui.

"Oh, right… Does it matter if they were inverted or not?" Shisui looked at Erza, who shrugged.

"Not to me it doesn't; I don't really understand how that stuff works, so I don't really care," Erza replied casually.

"Uhh, right… Well, there was Death, The Knight, The Moon, and The Blood Sigil," Shisui listed off the cards he had drawn on his fingers.

"'The Blood Sigil'?" Erza repeated, raising an eyebrow at Shisui. "I've never heard of that one before,"

"Yeah, even Cana seemed surprised. She says I'm the only person in the Guild who's ever drawn that card. Even she wasn't expecting it, which is understandable," Shisui replied.

"What does it look like?" Erza asked almost as soon as Shisui had stopped talking.

"My, aren't we inquisitive this morning?" Shisui looked down at Erza, who quickly found the wall on the far side of Andreas' store very interesting. "Have you ever seen a Coptic Cross before?"

"Yeah, I think so. It's one of those intricate crosses that have three points at the end of each… Well, point?" Erza replied, shrugging when she realised she didn't explain the design very well.

"Yeah, basically. It was one of those, but one this card, the cross looked like it had been bathed in blood. It was dripping with blood and looked kinda dark, to be honest," Shisui scratched the back of his head as he replied.

"So, what? Does that mean you're going to be some kind of mass murderer or something?" Erza joked.

"Those cards usually are based on a person's individual choices and temperament, if I remember Cana's explanation correctly. So, maybe that mean's I drew that card because of my past…" Shisui muttered, thinking this to be another sign that the nightmares he's been having were in fact repressed memories.

"Shisui, I…" Erza began, but was silenced when Shisui held up a hand.

"No, no, it's alright. I'm going to have to face this at some point, just like everyone in the Guild will have to face their pasts and problems too. Gray and the loss of his family and master to Deliora. Natsu losing Igneel. Cana and her father, who doesn't even know she exists. Mira, Elfman, and Lisanna and the death of their parents. You and the Tower of Heaven," Shisui looked at Erza and noticed she had stiffened upon the mention of the Tower of Heaven.

Shisui knew that the Tower of Heaven was a sore point for Erza, and always would be until she confronted it. He knew she refused to talk about it at all and simply keep that part of her past buried, but even he could tell she knew that would do no good.

Shisui had only become aware of Erza's past after he stepped in to stop Erza from potentially killing Natsu and Gray after they had been arguing with one another, before tuning on Erza. That event happened almost a month after Shisui's promotion to S-Class, which he chalked up as the only reason why Erza trusted him; she knew he was strong and a good role-model for the Guild.

"Listen, Erza, I know you don't like to talk about what happened when you were younger, and I can understand that, but there will come a time where you'll need to face the past and the horrors you suffered. Just like with anyone else in the Guild, I'll be here to help you as much as I can, but I can't hold your hand the entire way, or face your past for you, that wouldn't solve anything. Look at Mira; she refuses to accept what happened to her parents and doesn't want to face the reality of what happened, which is why she likes to act tough and get in people's faces. The reason she's so hostile with you is because you don't take her crap or fall for her act, because you both share similar pains. Heh, you two are actually more alike than anyone else in the Guild," Shisui finished speaking and saw Erza glare at him for his final comment.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Erza growled, clenching her hands and resting them on her knees.

"You know what I mean, Erza. Look at the way you both act, not just towards each other, but in general. Mira thinks she has to be loud and rude, so everyone can hear her, while you think you have to be crass and cold, but there's one thing the pair of you have in common more than anything; you both have an attitude which screams 'stand up, commit, and say 'fuck it, make the best of it''. Believe me, you're more alike than you realise," Shisui explained, making Erza growl slightly.

"We're nothing alike! How can you compare me to that loudmouth who thinks she runs the place?" Erza asked, giving Shisui a hard stare.

"If you don't believe me, just think about your actions and how they reflect Mira's. Be aware of what you do and say, and then see what Mira does and says. I'm sure you'll find that I'm right," Shisui responded.

"Tch, unlikely, but I'll accept your challenge and prove to you that you're wrong when you return!" Erza shouted, jumping up and pointing at Shisui.

"Alright, you do that," Shisui also stood up and tussled Erza's hair.

"Hey! Stop that!" Erza yelled, swatting away Shisui's hand.

"Heh, you make teasing you so easy, you know," Shisui chuckled.

"Excuse me Miss Scarlet, but your sword is ready," Andreas entered the room, carrying Erza's sword, which he proceeded to hand to Erza.

At a glance, the sword looked exactly the same, but upon closer inspection, Erza could see the sword had a brighter shine and weighed a little more.

"It's heavier… Why's it heavier?" Erza looked up at Andreas, who simply laughed.

"Well, the sword has been galvanised with silver. To do that, I had to break down the composition of the steel and bond it with a coat of pure silver. Galvanising things will always add a little extra weight to the item," Andreas explained, getting a blank look from Erza.

"Uh-huh…" Erza mumbled, looking at the sword.

"What he means is he had to superheat the steel to it almost reached its melting point before putting it into a vat of liquid silver so the two metals would combine, before cooling it and reshaping it to its original look. He's basically added another metal, so of course it'd be heavier," Shisui explained in simpler terms.

"Oh, right… And you're sure this will help me fight monsters?" Erza asked.

"Absolutely, silver is a monster's weakness. It's almost like a poison to them," Shisui responded, getting a nod from Erza.

"Alright then, I guess I'll just have to get used to the added weight. Thank you, Andreas," Erza nodded as she sheathed her sword.

"It was my pleasure, Miss Scarlet, and I do hope you'll remember me for any future business you may need in regards to weapons and armour," Andreas smiled as he bowed to Erza.

"She certainly will, and thank you for these too, Andreas. I have no doubt these will come in handy on my jobs in the future," Shisui held up his arms, referring to the new bracers, before holding out a hand to Andreas

"You are both most welcome, and I wish you both success on your jobs for Fairy Tail," Andreas took Shisui's hand and firmly shook it before both Shisui and Erza left his store.

* * *

"Alright, so what now?" Erza asked once she and Shisui were outside once again.

"Now we go our separate ways. You head back to the Guild Hall, and I will start making my way to Crocus," Shisui replied.

"Fine, I suppose I should start training with this sword and get used to the new weight of it. Shouldn't take me too long," Erza commented, looking down at her upgraded sword.

"Be careful, Erza; there's a very fine line between confidence and arrogance. Make sure you know which side of that line you're on," Shisui warned.

"Yeah, yeah, I get it. You don't have to worry about me," Erza said dismissively.

"I know, but remember what we talked about. That will be your biggest challenge, as it will be for everyone else. Just… Keep in mind everything that I said to you, ok?" Shisui looked at Erza, who returned his look with a hard stare.

"Yeah, I will. I still think you're wrong about what you said about Mira and I, but I'll give you the benefit of the doubt here," Erza replied, not breaking eye contact with Shisui.

"Good girl. Now off you go. You have a lot of work to do if you hope to become Fairy Tail's next S-Class Wizard," Shisui walked up to Erza before grabbing her shoulders and spinning her around so she was facing the direction of the Guild Hall.

"Just you wait, when you get back, I'll be able to beat you in a fight! I know it!" Erza shouted, turning back around and pointing at Shisui, who was crouched down in front of her.

"Hmm, yes, I'm sure. But standing here isn't going to help, so go on. Try and prove me wrong," Shisui smirked before standing up and turning his back on Erza as he began to make his way towards the gates of Magnolia Town, and the long road to Crocus.

"I'll prove you wrong… Just you wait," Erza muttered as she watched Shisui walk off into the distance before turning back around and making her own way back to the Guild Hall.

* * *

 **A/N; Alrighty, sorry for the incredibly long wait for this Chapter, but I've been buried in work for the past two months that I've barely had any time to myself. That, and Horizon Zero Dawn came out 2 weeks ago, and I wanted to play that... But before that, I wanted to finish The Ezio Collection of Assassin's Creed Games (Platinums and all), which I managed to do, then I did the same with HZD 5 days later. But, that's beside the point. I'm sorry this took so long and I hope to have a more consistent update time now things aren't so busy and I have no new PS4 Games to play.**

 **Ok, so I'll get right down to it. From the next Chapter onwards (but I don't know how many Chapters it'll be), pretty much everything will be of my own creation and won't have many main characters from Fairy Tail in it. Think of it as a separate arc in the story that's just going to drive things along towards Canon, but without a timeskip. To make up for this, I might add Characters from other Animes or whatever, just to give you something to chew on, because it might get boring otherwise. Some of you may or may not recognise the names of some characters (as they won't all be from Anime), but it's better than making up all my own characters, because you may relate to some of them, if you know where they're from. Some Fairy Tail Characters will make the odd appearance here and there, but for the most part, it'll just be Shisui and other characters from other franchises. If this does not appeal to you, I am sorry, but I've got ideas that will be useful for his character development and I think this will be better than just doing a timeskip.**

 **I noticed in the reviews that someone asked if Natsu will always hate Shisui. The answer is no, he won't. As it stands, Natsu is just a child, and is both immature and brash. When he grows up and matures, he and Shisui will reconcile and become friends again, but that won't be for a while. That's partly to do with keeping the main focus of the story on Shisui, and not have it basically as a Canonical rewrite, but having Shisui present, because that wouldn't really make sense.**

 **Again, sorry for the huge delay with this Chapter. Feel free to leave a review or whatever, and if I get enough of them, I'll start responding to them in my A/N's like I did with my Bleach Fanfic. On the topic of that, yes I will be returning to that at some point this year. Maybe when I'm satisfied enough with this Fanfic that it's going in the right direction and people are enjoying it.**

 **Until then, I hope you enjoy this Chapter, and I promise you won't have to wait 2 months for Chapter 5.**


	5. The Gathering Storm

Chapter Five – The Gathering Storm

"What the hell… What the hell happened here?" Shisui breathed as his eyes scanned his surroundings.

Shisui was looking at the grand city of Crocus, but it had been stripped of all its grandeur. The houses were broken and dilapidated, the streets were cracked and rife with trash and other waste, rats could be seen scurrying about under the feet of the people who walked the streets.

There was graffiti all over the walls of houses, and the boards that covered windows of shops. The most prominent mark was that of a skull wearing what appeared to be a crown. All the marks were in different colours, mainly red, brown, and black. Shisui couldn't tell if they were different coloured paints, or another substance that had been exposed to the sunlight for too long.

The people were in as bad shape as the buildings. They all wore torn, dirty clothing, they all walked around barefoot and they themselves were dirty, grubby, and clearly hadn't bathed in sometime. That wasn't the only thing Shisui noticed. When he looked into the eyes of the people wandering the streets, he caught a glimpse of what they were feeling. Fear. Hopelessness.

Deciding he wanted to know more, Shisui walked through the streets in an attempt to find someone who could tell him more about what happened here. After a few minutes, he came across a woman who was putting boards up on her shop's windows.

"Excuse me, ma'am, but I was wondering if you could tell me what's happening here?" Shisui approached the woman, who immediately stiffened when she heard his voice, but relaxed slightly when she turned around and saw him.

"Oh, I see you're not from around here. Well, if you must know, I'm closing up my shop before it gets destroyed," The woman replied as she picked up another large plank of wood and placed it across one of the windows.

"Destroyed? Why would it be destroyed?" Shisui raised an eyebrow at the woman as she began to hammer a nail into the plank.

"Gangs, young sir. They own this city now, and they believe they are deserved a large share of our profits because they haven't harmed us. One of the local shopkeepers refused to pay them, and he was never heard from again. It's gotten so bad that we can no longer afford to live properly," The woman explained as she finished nailing the board to the shop window and turned around to point at the crowned skull on a building opposite her shop.

"I assume that the mark you're pointing to is from one of these gangs?" Shisui asked.

"Yes, they are known as the 'Blackchurch Crypt Kings'. They are the most feared gang in Crocus, not only for their violence, but because of who leads them. They claim the man is a Dragon Slayer," The woman whispered.

"A Dragon Slayer? Do you know who this man is?" Shisui replied, despite his initial surprise, he kept his voice low as well.

"No, sir… He is simply known as 'the Black Dragon of Blackchurch'. No-one knows who this man is," The woman responded.

"You said the Crypt Kings were the most feared gang in Crocus. Are you telling me there is more than one gang in this city?" Shisui asked.

"I'm afraid so sir. In each of the four districts that surround the Royal Imperial District, there is a gang that terrorises the populace. In the North, here in Blackchurch, are the Crypt Kings. To the East, the gang known as the 'Devil's Hand' controls the district. To the South, the 'Darkwater Mariners' control the city's primary trade ports, making it difficult for us to earn a decent living. Finally, to the West, there is a gang that go by the name the 'Cult of the Damned'. From what I hear though, they are without a leader, and are disorganised; ruling the district by violent attacks, instead of organised crime," The woman explained to Shisui, who nodded slightly.

"I see, and what does the King do about this?" Shisui asked.

"I'm afraid there is nothing the King and Queen can do. Her Majesty tries to send help as best as she can, but the Royal Guard are stretched thin enough as it is, they simply do not have the manpower to help the rest of the city," The woman responded sadly.

"Why not? I was here about a year ago and this was the grandest city in all of Fiore. How can so much change in such a short amount of time?" Shisui looked around the broken down mess that was Blackchurch before looking back at the woman.

"A threat from the Western Continent. The Alvarez Empire. I'm afraid that's all I know. His Majesty is taking this threat seriously, and currently has all his soldiers preparing for war, should this threat prove to be real," The woman explained. "Because of the lack of guard patrols in the surrounding districts, these gangs have risen up and seized control for themselves."

"Thank you for your time. Take this; I know it's not much, but you need it more than I do," Shisui removed a small pouch of money from his bag and handed it to the woman.

"Thank you, sir. A small gesture like this means so much in these times," The woman bowed to Shisui as he walked off, deep in thought.

' _So, the city has turned to shit because of a threat from something known as the Alvarez Empire. Gangs now control most of Crocus, and a Dragon Slayer leads the Blackchurch gang. The King and Queen can do nothing, but they are aware of how bad things are here… Hmm, what to make of all this…'_ Shisui pondered on what he had learned from the woman he had spoken to as he made his way through Crocus, heading towards the Royal Imperial District, the very heart of Crocus.

Shisui wanted to help, but he knew this wasn't his fight. He was here for one reason, and one reason only; to find this collector and hopefully learn more about the Lacrima and the keys he recovered from the cave on his last job. That, however, was easier said than done, and he knew that.

* * *

Almost an hour after entering Crocus, Shisui finally arrived in the Royal Imperial District, and he could see nothing had changed since he was here almost a year ago. The entire district was packed with people, all wealthy merchants and rich nobles. The buildings were glamourous and immaculate, a far cry from the conditions of Blackchurch and the other outer districts. While almost all the citizens in the district were blissfully unaware of what it was like outside the Royal Imperial District, Shisui couldn't help but feel a sense of disdain for these people; all acting like they lived in their own world, safe from hardships because of the Royal Guard, and because they were fortunate enough to be born into luxury.

Shisui knew this kind of thinking was wrong, but he had seen Blackchurch, he knew how bad it was outside this district, yet those who knew either didn't care, or acted like it wasn't their problem, and that was what annoyed him.

While wrapped up in his thoughts, Shisui became aware of a large group of people gathering in the marketplace down the road from him. It was apparent something was going on, and Shisui intended on finding out what it was.

"Everyone! Everyone! Gather around, for I have something amazing to show you that demands your attention!" A woman, who was standing on a stage-like platform in front of a large crowd, announced with a smile.

One look was all Shisui needed to understand this woman. She was definitely of noble birth, but wasn't like the 'traditional noblewoman'. She was outgoing, proud and very confident. Even the way she spoke showed that this woman understood and held a great deal of power.

As for her physical appearance, it was also far from the 'traditional noblewoman' style. This woman wore no dress with frills and flowers, instead she wore a white, high collared blouse, a tight, black, leather jacket with purple accents that flared out at the waist and hung down to her knees. She wore a pair of black trousers and black, knee-high, leather boots, which also had purple accents that also flared out at the bottom, covering all of her boots aside from the tips. Gold jewellery adorned her jacket, while a simple black belt at her waist completed her outfit.

"Pardon me, but who is that woman?" Shisui asked as he approached a merchant who had joined the group of people in anticipation for what the woman wanted to show everyone.

"You don't know who she is? Goodness, boy, have you been living under a rock for the past three years?" The man gasped, astounded by Shisui's question. "That woman is Lucy Thorne, she and a business partner have the largest collection of magical artefacts and items. Miss Thorne is always eager to share some of the finer parts of her collection with us. A truly selfless woman, she is!"

"Magical artefacts… Tell me, does this Lucy Thorne own a Poison Dragon Slayer Lacrima?" Shisui asked, causing the man to do a double-take.

"I say, my boy, you claim to not know who this woman is, yet you know what artefacts her and her associate have in their possession. You're not a thief, are you?" The man raised an eyebrow at Shisui.

"Not at all, sir. I ask simply because I remember someone claiming to be a collector of magical artefacts when I was in Crocus about a year ago. They were claiming they had such a Dragon Slayer Lacrima in their possession, but I never got a chance to see it," Shisui explained, holding his hands up defensively.

"Ah, I see… A thousand pardons, my young master, you can never be too careful with people, especially what with the terrifying presence of gangs now occupying the outer districts. Why, there could be members of those gangs in this very crowd! Do yourself a favour and be very careful while you're here. You may never end up leaving the city if you're not paying attention to where you're going," The man warned.

"Uhh, right… Thanks, I think?" Shisui nodded to the man and began to make his way through the throng of people and towards the front of the crowd, in hopes of getting a better look at what was going on.

"Ladies and gentlemen, today I have something most amazing to show you! Just recently, my business partner and I were able to verify a lead on a very rare magical artefact, and were able to recover it. I am now pleased to share this incredibly rare find with you all!" The woman, now known to be Lucy Thorne addressed the crowd.

On the platform Lucy was standing on, there was a table that had a spherical object hidden under a thick, white tablecloth. As soon as she had finished addressing the crowd before her, Lucy yanked the tablecloth off the table, revealing the object it was hiding.

The moment the crowd got a glimpse of the item, they all began chattering amongst themselves with excitement. Shisui, on the other hand, simply widened his eyes in surprise.

It was another Dragon Slayer Lacrima.

"Ladies and gentlemen, please! If you would give your attention to me! Yes, what you are looking at is indeed a Dragon Slayer Lacrima, and a powerful one at that," Lucy explained as she picked up the Lacrima for all to see.

The Lacrima itself was the same size and shape as the one Shisui was carrying. This one, however, was dark blue and had small, white sparkles of light floating inside the core. It was a truly magnificent sight, for Shisui had never seen such a Lacrima; Dragon Slayer or otherwise.

"This Lacrima is said to contain the magic of a powerful dragon; the Astral Dragon, known as Galassia. From the research my associate and I performed, we concluded that Galassia was a Sixth Tier Dragon, or a Titan Class Dragon," Lucy explained, invoking more excited discussion from the crowd.

' _Sixth Tier? Titan Class? What kind of bullshit is this? There's no way such a thing can exist… Can there? I sense no deception in her voice, but… Skiadrum never told me about such a thing before…'_ Shisui remained impassive as he watched the woman in front of him hold the Lacrima above her head so everyone present could see it.

"Pardon me, Miss Thorne, but just how powerful is a Sixth Tier Dragon?" A man in the crowd asked.

"Ah, an excellent question, good sir! From what we have uncovered, Titan Class Dragons are the fourth most powerful ones to ever exist. Third were the Seventh Tier Monarch Class, followed by the Eighth Tier Sage Class, and the most powerful was the Ninth Tier Divine Class, or God Class, if you will. However, there is a Tenth Tier, but only one Dragon exists in such a level; the Tenth Tier Creator Class, the God-King of Dragons, Slifer," Lucy explained, impressing the crowd with her knowledge of dragons.

"So, this God-King Dragon, he's the one who created all of Dragonkind?" Another person asked, this one a woman.

"That is what we believe, yes. But, forgive me, for we are straying from the main point here, ladies and gentlemen! This Lacrima is another part of our ever-growing collection. Even now, as we speak, my business partner is tracking down several more leads that could very well bring even rarer treasures to our great city, and bolster Fiore's reputation as one of the greatest magical nations on the continent, if not the world!" Lucy declared proudly, which caused the crowd of people to burst into a round of applause.

While the crowd were applauding Lucy and her claims, a large man approached her and whispered something in her ear, which caused her to stiffen slightly, something which Shisui noticed.

"My most sincere apologies, ladies and gentlemen, but I must cut this showcase of mine short. Something of the utmost importance has been brought to my attention, and I must leave immediately," Lucy explained as she wrapped up the Lacrima before handing it off to another man who had appeared at her side.

As the crowd continued to applaud and thin out, Lucy made her way down a small set of steps at the side of the platform and began to walk away, now with three large men surrounding her, one of which was carrying the Lacrima.

Shisui, not wanting to waste a golden opportunity gave chase in an attempt to speak with her.

"Excuse me, Miss Thorne?! I was hoping I could have but a moment of your time?" Shisui called out, but was blocked off from Lucy by one of her escorts.

"I am so very sorry, young man, but I am a very busy woman. Feel free to make an appointment to see me or my associate another day, but I must be off," Lucy responded swiftly as she continued to walk at a brisk pace.

"Well, I suppose I could wait another day to have this Dragon Slayer Lacrima examined, or perhaps I could find someone else to do it. I'm sure there are other collectors such as yourself who deal in rare antiquities," Shisui muttered off-handedly as he turned and began to walk away.

"Wait!" Lucy called out, causing Shisui to halt in his tracks; a smug grin on his face. That was too easy.

"Yes, Miss Thorne?" Shisui asked as he turned around and saw Lucy walk towards him.

"You have a Dragon Slayer Lacrima in your possession?" Lucy looked at Shisui inquisitively.

"Yes, but that's not all, I also happen to be a Dragon Slayer. A _real_ Dragon Slayer, raised by a _real_ dragon," Shisui stated, causing Lucy to go wide-eyes. That got her.

"Alright, come with me, but be quick about it!" Lucy snapped her fingers as she beckoned Shisui to her side as they walked quickly down the streets of Crocus, through narrow alleyways and around a few residential estates.

Shisui wasn't an idiot. He knew what was happening here, why they were taking such a long, indirect route. They were being followed.

His first instinct was to break away from the group and deal with their unwanted guest, but doing so would risk him losing track of Lucy, and that could not be allowed to happen. Shisui simply said nothing as he and Lucy were escorted through the Royal Imperial District.

After ten minutes of wandering the maze-like alleys and streets, the men escorting Shisui and Lucy finally stopped outside a store front and beckoned the two inside. Before Lucy entered the store, she took the Lacrima from the man in possession of it, and whispered something in his ear. With a nod, the man and his two comrades all split up and vanished.

Shisui had noticed the immediate change in Lucy's actions. Even when she was talking to him earlier, he knew her mannerisms were different. When she was displaying the Lacrima to the public, she was bright, friendly, and happy. However, the moment one of the men escorting her whispered something in her ear, she became serious, calculating, and commanding.

"Down here," Lucy pointed as she walked over to a large rug and pulled it back, revealing a trapdoor that opened up and lead to a flight of steps going underground.

"Okaaaay, you wanna tell me who's following us?" Shisui asked, catching Lucy off guard.

"The Crypt Kings, The Devil's Hand, The Darkwater Mariners, The Cult of the Damned… Take your pick," Lucy replied as she lead Shisui into a network of underground tunnels.

"Alright, then why are the gangs after you? I assume it has something to do with the artefacts you collect?" Shisui asked.

"Basically, yes. On occasion, a few members of each gang will enter the Royal Imperial District in an attempt to find out where my collection is. Needless to say, they fail every time. So, now it seems they've taken to following me, but even that will prove to be fruitless. Even if they find the entrance to these tunnels, they're more likely to get lost and die from starvation and dehydration than they would be to find the right path," Lucy explained as she marched through the tunnels, following the correct path back to her shop.

"Right, and why is it impossible to find your shop in the city? Surely, given enough time, they'll be able to narrow down the possibilities of where it could be," Shisui reasoned.

"Yes, one would think that is the case, but just wait and see… You'll understand in due time, young sir," Lucy responded before both parties became silent and walked through the underground network of tunnels.

* * *

After fifteen minutes of walking, Lucy and Shisui arrived at a large wooden door. As Lucy approached the door, she lifted the large, metal latch and pushed the door open. Much to Shisui's surprise, the door revealed a narrow, winding staircase that went up.

Beckoning Shisui to take the lead up the stairs, Lucy shut the large door and bolted it from the inside before following Shisui. It took a good couple of minutes before they reached the top of the stairwell, and as soon as they reached another large wooden door, Lucy removed a key from her pocket and placed it in the lock and turned it.

"Before we continue on, there is something I need to ask of you," Lucy turned and looked at Shisui with a serious look. When Shisui said nothing, she took it as a sign to continue. "You're the first person to ever see the entirety of my collection, I would appreciate it if you kept this location a secret. I'd hate to have to resort to unsavoury acts because you couldn't keep a secret,"

"You don't need to worry, Miss Thorne; I have no intention of telling anyone about this place," Shisui responded, the look in his eyes telling Lucy that he wasn't lying.

Unlocking the door, Lucy lifted the handle and pushed the door open, gesturing for Shisui to enter. Once he was inside, Lucy entered behind him and closed the door.

"Ah, Lucy, you're back," A voice called out. "How did the unveiling go?"

"It went quite well, the audience were captivated by our newest piece. I must apologise, Crawford, for I have brought a guest," Lucy replied as she entered the room, with Shisui behind her.

Upon entering the room, Shisui was astounded by what he saw. All around the room, were magical tools and artefacts, even a modest collection of weapons. The one thing that got Shisui's attention first was the large display case on the left side of the room, underneath a giant canvas painting of a burning city across a large river. The display case contained five more Dragon Slayer Lacrima.

The room itself had an antique design to it. Varnished, hardwood floors and wooden walls with intricate designs carved into the skirting boards that ran along the top and bottom of the wall. There were several cast iron sconces on the walls that held candles, which were the room's only source of light. At the far end of the room, opposite the entrance was a large oak table with a large, high-backed chair behind it. In the half-light, Shisui could see a figure was sat in the chair.

"Excuse me?" The man, who Lucy had called Crawford, whispered.

"It's alright, Crawford, he can be trusted. Besides, he has something very interesting; something you might like to see for yourself," Lucy responded as she and Shisui walked over to the table.

"Is that right? I hope it's worthwhile, as you know how I feel about uninvited guests," Crawford responded, looking up from an old book that was on the table in front of him.

As Crawford looked up, Shisui was able to get a better look at the man. Crawford was a man in his early forties. He had dark brown hair that was swept back over his head, and a beard that was complimented by a thick moustache. From where he was sitting, Shisui could see Crawford was wearing a business suit with a thick, black overcoat which had a gold chain attached to the epaulet on the right shoulder. He had a purple scarf around his coat and a matching purple tie around his neck, and a golden Maltese cross with red accents, sporting a wolf's head in the centre and the initials 'C.S' on the horizontal axis of the cross completed the outfit.

"Go ahead," Lucy whispered as she gave Shisui a small nudge forward.

Taking this as a hint, Shisui stepped forward while Crawford stood up.

"Very well, allow me to introduce myself; my name is Crawford Starrick, and this is where I keep my private collection, as well as conduct research into where other rare magical artefacts might be waiting to be uncovered," Crawford introduced himself, nodding slightly at Shisui.

"A pleasure, Mr. Starrick, I am Shisui Karasuma, and I am a Dragon Slayer; a _real_ Dragon Slayer," Shisui responded, which got a rise out of Crawford.

"A real Dragon Slayer you say? You mean that you were raised by n actual Dragon?" Crawford asked, suddenly becoming more intrigued.

"Yes, but that's not all. I have something else that I think will interest you," Shisui responded, as he reached into his bag and pulled out the Dragon Slayer Lacrima.

"This is…" Crawford began.

"Yes, a Dragon Slayer Lacrima," Shisui finished as he handed the Lacrima over to the man in front of him.

"Most curious indeed… Where did you find this?" Crawford asked as he examined the Lacrima to determine its legitimacy.

"There is no need to check it, Mr. Starrick, it's the real thing," Shisui explained, getting a curious look from Crawford.

"How do you know that? There are some counterfeit Lacrima out there that even Dragon Slayers can't recognise," Crawford pointed out, offering Shisui the seat in front of his desk.

"Mr. Starrick, with all due respect, I am far different than Dragon Slayers who have simply had a Lacrima implanted into their bodies. I have the senses of a Dragon, meaning I can tell when a Lacrima is emitting real Dragon Slayer Magic, and this one is very real," Shisui sat down in the chair before Crawford placed the Lacrima on the desk and sat down himself.

As soon as Crawford sat down, Lucy moved over to one corner of the room and began to prepare tea for the three of them. While Lucy was busy making the tea, Shisui took a look around the room, closely examining the items that were on display, when a very peculiar looking knife caught his attention.

"That's an interesting weapon. What is it?" Shisui pointed to the knife he was looking at.

The weapon itself was a long, thick dagger, but the end was not like a conventional dagger; it had three points, one that ran down the middle, and two more that pointed off at forty-five degree angles. On the hilt was a cloth binding with a series of runes painted onto the cloth.

"Ah, you have a good eye. That is one of my more interesting pieces of my collection; the 'Blade of the Flying Thunder God'. It's exceedingly rare," Crawford looked over at the weapon that was mounted on a blade rack on the nearby wall.

"An interesting name. What does it do?" Shisui asked.

"It allows the wielder to travel any distance in the blink of an eye; faster than a bolt of lightning. By simply charging their magic into the runes that are inscribed on the cloth of the hilt, they create a type of link with the weapon, allowing them to travel to wherever the weapon is when they activate the magical link. That is merely for short distances where the blade is nearby, to travel long distances, one would need to carve the inscription onto the object they wish to travel to while pouring their magic into the blade, through the inscription and out of the tip of the blade. Should the inscription they have carved be incorrect, or get damaged, then they will be unable to travel to it," Crawford explained.

"Most impressive. So, let me see if I understand you correctly; if I wanted to travel from here to, say Kardia Cathedral, then all I'd have to do is carve the inscription on the hilt onto something in this room and the cathedral, and I'd be able to travel to and fro as I please?" Shisui raised an eyebrow, not quite believing it.

"Yes, and in a matter of seconds, despite the two locations being hundreds of kilometres from each other," Crawford replied with a nod. "But, it appears we are straying from the topic at hand. Are you saying you're able to tell what kind of Dragon Slayer Magic this Lacrima holds because of these Dragon Senses?" Crawford asked as he pointed to the Lacrima on his desk.

"No, not quite. As a Dragon Slayer who was raised by a dragon, my senses are more finely tuned than normal humans, as is my sense for detecting magic, and this is real Dragon Slayer Magic," Shisui responded, tapping the Lacrima on the table.

"Ah, indeed… So, you don't know what magic it holds?" Crawford looked at Shisui with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm afraid not, but I have a feeling I already know…" Shisui responded, staring into Crawford's eyes with his own, hoping the man before him would get the hint.

"Alright Mr. Karasuma, I'll bite; what magic does this Lacrima hold?" Crawford asked, either not getting Shisui's hint, or just simply ignoring it.

"I have reason to believe that it contains Nature Dragon Slayer Magic. When I first discovered it, and picked it up, I must have somehow absorbed a small portion of its power, for I had the ability to see the souls of those around me," Shisui explained, causing Crawford to go wide-eyed. _That_ got his attention.

"Hmm… Perhaps you are telling the truth. It had been recorded that it's possible for some Dragon Slayers to be able to absorb minute amounts of power from a Dragon Slayer Lacrima, provided their element is attuned to the Lacrima's element," Crawford muttered as he reached for a book and began to flick through the pages.

"Maybe that's why nothing happened when Natsu touched it; fire and nature do not mix…" Shisui muttered to himself while Crawford was continuing his search in the book.

"Ah, yes… The Nature Dragon Slayer Lacrima. Through extensive research, along with the help of Miss Thorne, I have been able to ascertain that the Lacrima contains the power of a Sixth Tier Titan Class Dragon, known as Shizen. She was responsible for allowing the world we currently live in to flourish and thrive. It is because of her, we humans are able to live on this continent," Crawford read from his notes before looking up at Shisui.

"A Titan Class Dragon, you say? So, this Shizen had the same amount of power as Galassia, the Astral Dragon?" Shisui asked, getting a surprised nod from Crawford.

"Very impressive. It appears you have heard most, if not all, of Miss Thorne's explanation of the power of Dragons. Perhaps I was wrong about you," Crawford remarked as Lucy came over and placed a cup of tea down in front of Crawford. Lucy offered a cup to Shisui, but he politely declined.

"Yes, well… I did come to Crocus in an attempt to find you so you could examine this Lacrima I found, along with something else, but we'll get to that later. Is there any way you can determine whether or not this is actually a Nature Dragon Slayer Lacrima?" Shisui looked at Crawford as he took a sip of his tea and placed the cup back down.

"The simplest way would be to implant the Lacrima inside a person's body, but…" Crawford began.

"But once you do that, you can't retrieve the Lacrima from the person's body without killing them," Shisui finished.

"Rightly so. I'm sure you can see the issue with that," Crawford nodded.

Shisui thought for a moment. This wasn't the kind of result he was hoping for. As he reached over and placed a hand on the Lacrima, Crawford placed his hand on Shisui's to stop him from removing the Lacrima from the desk.

"Where did you find it?" Crawford asked, taking Shisui by surprise.

"Excuse me?" Shisui responded.

"The Lacrima. Where did you find it?" Crawford repeated.

"I'm sorry, but I don't follow. What has that got to do with anything?" Shisui looked at Crawford with confusion.

"Most Dragon Slayer Lacrima are found in their element, for lack of a better term. Perhaps if we can determine where you found this Lacrima, then we can know what element it is," Crawford explained as he removed his hand from the Lacrima on his desk.

"If afraid that is a dead-end too, Mr. Starrick. I found this Lacrima in a cave, it was stolen by a Dark Guild who had been hoarding treasure and other magical artefacts, this was one of the few magical items they had stolen… Along with these," Shisui reached into his pocket and placed the two keys he had found in the cave on the desk.

Crawford, however, had a confused look on his face as he examined the two keys Shisui had shown him.

"I am so very sorry, Mr. Karasuma, I have no idea what these keys are. At a guess, I'd say they were Celestial Gate Keys, but I've never heard of black ones with red accents. My apologies," Crawford slid the keys back across the desk towards Shisui, who pocketed them once more.

"Hmm, that's a shame, I had hoped you'd be the one who could shed some light on what they were. I too reached the conclusion that they were Celestial Gate Keys, but when they were used by my Guild Master, they didn't work," Shisui explained.

"Guild Master? You're a part of a Wizarding Guild?" Crawford asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes. Officially, I am part of Fairy Tail," Shisui commented with a shrug.

"And unofficially?" Crawford asked.

"What makes you think there's an 'unofficially'?" Shisui looked at Crawford.

"It appears I have misjudged the situation. I apologise. Usually, when someone says 'officially', they also do things 'off the books', as it were," Crawford explained as he leaned back in his chair.

"Well, if you want to split hairs over the matter; unofficially, I am a monster hunter. I specialise in hunting down and eliminating post-conjunction creatures," Shisui tapped the hilt of his sword.

"Ah, I see… Officially, a Wizard of Fairy Tail; unofficially a monster hunter. How interesting," Crawford examined Shisui closely as he spoke.

"Yes, and I have a feeling my skillset would come in handy in this city…" Shisui muttered off-handedly.

"Whatever do you mean?" Crawford looked at Shisui curiously.

"Mr. Starrick, please; do not take me for a fool. You know exactly what I mean; the gangs who have practically taken over this city. They are not humans, but monsters. To be so depraved that they would resort to violent, immoral acts…" Shisui responded bluntly.

"I never said you were a fool. I'm offended you'd think that of me, Mr. Karasuma," Crawford stared at Shisui, who was returning the stare.

"Perhaps not, but there are things you're keeping from me, I know that much," Shisui stated.

"Oh? What exactly am I keeping from you?" Crawford asked, genuinely intrigued.

"Well, for starters, the fact that this isn't a place of business; it's a vault, for lack of a better term," Shisui raised his hands to emphasise the fact he was referring to the room they were in.

"What makes you think that?" Crawford took another sip of his tea.

"Perhaps because we're in one of the many towers that cover the skyline of Crocus," Shisui responded, getting a shocked response from the man in front of him.

"How did you know that? Only five people, other than you, have been up here and not one of them knew this was a tower," Crawford sat up, now becoming more intrigued by Shisui.

"That's easy, Mr. Starrick. The spiral staircase I climbed to get up here was much longer than the staircase I climbed to go down into the catacombs, meaning this place had to be somewhere high up. However, it was the singular entrance, lack of natural light and the stone walls that gave it away," Shisui explained, listing off each identifying feature with his fingers.

"Your observational skills are most impressive. I guess you really are a legitimate Dragon Slayer," Crawford nodded, clearly impressed by Shisui.

"Oh, that's not all, Mr. Starrick. I know you and Miss Thorne are more than just business partners. If I had to take a guess, I'd say the two of you are married," Shisui stated, getting a shocked gasp from Lucy.

"How did you…?" Lucy whispered as she and Crawford exchanged looks.

"Scent," Shisui tapped his nose upon uttering the single word. "As I said, I have senses that are far more attuned than normal humans. Each human has a distinct scent, and when two humans are intimate with one another on a frequent basis, their scents begin to meld together, making it easy for me to tell who is close with who. That, and the fact you're both wearing wedding rings," Shisui pointed to both Crawford and Lucy's left hand. They both had a plain gold wedding band on their ring finger.

"Amazing…" Lucy muttered, examining Shisui closely.

"Well, it's been fun chatting, but I think I should be off. Since you are unsure what the keys are, and there is no solid way to determine what kind of power is held within this Lacrima, there is not much point in me interrupting your research further. Thank you for your time, Mr. Starrick. Miss Thorne," Shisui stood up and reached over to the desk to pick up his Lacrima when something in Crawford's notes caught his eye. Something that Crawford noticed immediately.

"Does something in my notes interest you, Mr. Karasuma?" Crawford asked.

"This here… What is this?" Shisui pointed to the open page of Crawford's notes.

"Oh, this? It's a list of other Dragon Slayer Lacrima that I am closing in on. There are currently four of them; Ice, Lightning, Earth, and Spectral," Crawford explained as he read down the list of Lacrima he was currently searching for.

"Well, you can cross Lightning off your list, I know who is in possession of that, and he's currently using it, but that's not what I meant," Shisui pointed to the very bottom of the page, where a single word was written and circled; 'Shadow'.

"This? Ah, this is one that has me stumped. There is supposed to be a Shadow Dragon Slayer Lacrima somewhere in Fiore, but I've heard rumours a child, no older than seven is in possession of it. I have marked it down as warranting further investigation," Crawford looked up at Shisui, who had become somewhat uneasy.

"That's not possible," Shisui responded almost immediately, surprising Crawford.

"Why is that?" Crawford raised an eyebrow.

"Because I _am_ the Shadow Dragon Slayer. I was raised by Skiadrum, the Shadow Dragon," Shisui stated, proving his claim by allowing part of his body to meld with the shadows against the wall.

"My word… I had no idea such a thing was possible. _Two_ Shadow Dragon Slayers? Most curious," Crawford sounded rather bemused as he spoke.

"That Lacrima you're chasing has to be a fake. Skiadrum was the last of the Shadow Dragons, and he vanished two years ago. If the Lacrima was real, it would hold Skiadrum's power, and it'd be in my possession. There's no way he'd give his power to someone else without good reason," Shisui clenched his fist, starting to become aggravated at the thought of someone having his powers, albeit a weaker archetype.

"Hmm, well, from the rumours and the research I've conducted, it's shaping up to be the real thing. Perhaps you don't know your dragon as well as you think you do, Mr. Karasuma," Crawford snapped the book shut and placed in one of the drawers in his desk.

"I'll show myself out. Thank you for your time… Mr. Starrick," Shisui said through gritted teeth before leaving the room and exploding into a cloud of shadows instead of opening the door.

Lucy was about to go after Shisui, in an attempt to escort him back to the entrance from where they came, but was stopped when Crawford cleared his throat.

"What is it, Crawford?" Lucy asked.

"Let him go. I have a feeling we'll be seeing more of him at some point…" Crawford muttered as he picked up his cup of tea and finished it.

"What do you mean?" Lucy raised an eyebrow at her husband.

"You saw the sword he was carrying, right? And that Lacrima..." Crawford responded.

"Yes, but I don't… No, you can't be serious. Him?" Lucy looked at Crawford with her mouth agape.

"I cannot be certain, but it definitely looks like the one," Crawford replied before going back to his notes.

* * *

"Tch, those catacombs were easy to navigate; anyone with half a brain stem could figure out that the way is lit by torches. No torchlight means you're going the wrong way," Shisui growled as he exited the store he had entered with Lucy a while ago, still in a relatively foul mood over what Crawford had said to him.

As he breathed in the air around him, he noticed the people that had been following him and Lucy earlier were now gone, most likely falling for the bait Lucy had her three guards use in order to distract their stalkers.

Sighing, Shisui decided to head back into the heart of the Royal Imperial District. It was early in the afternoon, but he figured there would be something worthwhile to do in the marketplace. Perhaps he could see if he could learn anything about this child in possession of a Shadow Dragon Slayer Lacrima.

Just the very thought of sharing his powers with someone else was enough to piss Shisui off. He wasn't a jealous person at all, but he prided himself on being a Dragon Slayer who was raised by an actual dragon. There was, however, one form of magic that only he could perform, and all the cheap, Dragon Slayer wannabe knockoffs in the world couldn't take _that_ away from him.

A small grin played on his face at that thought, but he was quickly brought out of his thoughts when he collided with something small.

"Ouch!" The object yelped, telling Shisui that he had bumped into a person; a girl to be specific.

"I'm so sorry. Are you alright?" Shisui asked as he brushed himself off and looked down at the ground.

Shisui found himself looking at a small girl, no older than five. She had bright green hair and was wearing a long blue dress that looked very expensive.

"Mister, mister! Help! Save me from the scary lady!" The small girl cried in a panic as Shisui picked her up and checked to see if she was hurt.

"Scary lady? What's going on?" Shisui asked, once he determined the girl was unharmed.

"A scary lady is following me! She wants to hurt me!" The girl cried, starting to look around in fear.

"Get away from her, scum!" A voice snapped, causing Shisui to look up and past the small girl.

Shisui was looking at a young woman with long blonde hair and golden eyes, not unlike his usual colour, perhaps a little darker. She was wearing a solid while outfit with blue gloves and a pair of knee high boots of the same colour. At her waist was a scabbard, and in her hand was a long, sharp sword.

To a small child, the woman could easily be perceived as scary. Her face was emotionless, her tone of voice angry and loud, and brandishing a big, razor-sharp sword certainly didn't help.

"Who are you, and what do you want with this girl?" Shisui stood up and moved in between the woman and the small girl.

"That is none of your business, fiend! Hand her over, or face severe punishment," The woman snarled, pointing the tip of her sword at Shisui.

"Well, that's not going to happen…" Shisui muttered as he drew his own sword and took a combat-ready stance. "So why don't we explore other options?"

"There are no other options!" The woman shouted as she lunged at Shisui with her sword.

"Listen to me, child! Stay back and you'll be fine!" Shisui parried the attack while talking to the little girl, who simply nodded and ran off and his behind a nearby trashcan.

After parrying the initial attack, Shisui followed up by aiming a fist at the woman's gut, but was blocked by her free hand grabbing his wrist, stopping the punch dead. Swinging her sword hand inwards, she attempted to cut Shisui's hand off, which ultimately failed as Shisui turned to a black liquid and dissolved into a pool of shadows before joining up with the shadows on the nearby wall.

"Shadow Blade Prison!" Shisui made the upper half of his body solid again before driving his blade into the earth. The blade passed through the ground as if it were a ghost.

Moments later, a ring of shadows surrounded the woman, before a plethora of black swords shot out of the ground, trapping her in a cage of shadowy blades. Despite the initial surprise of Shisui's powers, the woman remained calm and composed. Swinging her blade in an arc in front of her, she shattered the cage of swords and walked forward as the shadows began to recede.

"Pathetic," The woman scoffed as she walked towards Shisui.

Taking a step forward, Shisui raised his sword over his head and held it in a manner that looked like he was about to start swinging it around in a windmill like fashion. The woman, who was clearly a master swordsman, saw this and anticipated Shisui's next attack.

Shisui began to spin his sword over his head, and when the woman raised her own sword to defend, Shisui suddenly dropped his sword. This action caught the woman off guard, which is exactly what Shisui was hoping for.

As soon as her guard was down, Shisui spun his entire body around and delivered a powerful roundhouse kick to the side of her head, driving her through a nearby wall. That's when everything began to turn to shit for Shisui.

While he was fighting the swordswoman, he had been unaware of the other three people who were fast approaching his location.

"Captain? Captain where are–?" A masculine voice called out as he turned a corner, only to see Shisui standing and the woman climbing out of the hole her impact with the wall had created.

"Major, what's going on? Have you–? Captain Ravenheart!" Another male voice called out as he rounded the corner and saw the same sight as his comrade.

' _A Captain? A Major too? Dammit, don't tell me I've gotten in the middle of military affairs. That still doesn't explain what they'd want with a five year old girl though,'_ Shisui grimaced as he saw the first man, the Major, step towards him, ready for battle.

As the Major approached him, Shisui realised just how big this man was. He had a good several inches on Shisui, and he wasn't short by any means. He was incredibly muscular and had a bald head, save for a single lock of blond hair at the front of his head. He had a thick, blond, handlebar moustache which covered his mouth and accentuated his large, defined chin.

As he stepped forward, he merely flexed his muscles, causing his uniform shirt and jacket to tear, leaving his upper body completely exposed; a feat that managed to surprise Shisui.

The large man before Shisui lifted his hands up into the air before slamming them down on the ground, cracking the earth slightly as he formed two bright yellow magic circles where his hands had impacted with the ground.

The two magic circles covered his hands and when they had subsided, there was a pair of black gauntlets covering his hands. Flexing his muscles once more, the Major punched the ground and made a large slab of earth rise up like a wall, which began to grow large spikes on the front of it.

The Major gave the flat side of the earth wall a solid punch, which fired the spikes at Shisui like projectiles. Shisui simply cut through the spikes with his sword, causing them to fall to the ground, shortly after turning into sand, which blew away in the breeze.

"Hmm… Perhaps a different approach is required. Captain, stand at the ready!" The Major looked to his left at his subordinate, who nodded.

"Yes, sir," The Captain nodded as she entered an offensive stance.

The Major stood behind his Captain and punched the ground with his fist. As he did so, a large pillar of rock shot out of the ground, throwing the woman high into the air above Shisui.

"Looks like I'm going to have to adopt a new approach now too…" Shisui muttered as he crouched down slightly and prepared to counter his opponents' assault.

Crouching down, Shisui began to absorb all the shadows in the surrounding area, gathering them at his feet. The longer his confrontation lasted, the more shadows would form due to the passing of the sun.

Using the shadows he had collected, he was able to greatly increase his physical strength to near superhuman levels for just a moment, allowing himself to launch himself high into the air to meet the Captain face to face.

"What–?!" The Captain began, but was cut off by Shisui, who drove a solid fist, right into the woman's face, sending her crashing back to earth. Lucky for her, the Major had witnessed the attack, and had been able to create a large bed of sand, cushioning her impact with the ground to some degree. That was a mere consolation, for Shisui's punch had knocked the Captain unconscious.

Shisui simply floated back down to earth, landing softly on the ground and barely disturbing the ground underfoot. Knowing the Captain wouldn't be getting up any time soon, Shisui turned his attention to the Major, who locked eyes with him.

"I must give you credit, young one; very few people have been able to best the Captain in one-on-one battle, but I'm afraid you'll stand no chance against me," The Major declared as he raised his fists into the air and locked them both together. "I shall now finish you with my ultimate attack!" The Major yelled as he swung his fists down towards the ground.

"Major! Stop this at once!" A voice commanded from out of nowhere, causing the large man to stop in his tracks.

Upon hearing the command, the Major ceased his attack and turned around, to see who had told him to stop his attack.

"Milady! Please, this man has attacked and injured Captain Ravenheart! He must be stopped at once!" The Major pointed to the still unconscious Captain.

"Be that as it may, that attack of yours would do more harm than good. Tell me, what do you see?" The woman, who the Major had addressed as 'Milady', asked as she approached the area.

The woman turned out to be a young girl, roughly the same age as Shisui. She had dark red hair that was tied into a single ponytail on the left side of her head with a plain, grey ribbon made of silk. The rest of her hair curtained her face, almost hiding her eyes, which were a peculiar shade of blue-grey.

This girl, much like the green haired one Shisui had been protecting, was wearing an equally expensive dress which had a split down the left side, revealing most of her thigh, along with her shoes, which were elegant, open-toed high heels with straps crisscrossing over her feet.

"Well, I see you, milady, along with the unconscious Captain, and the aggressor who knocked her out. Other than that, I don't…" The Major described the scene in front of him before he noticed a small green-haired child hiding behind a nearby trashcan. Upon seeing this, the Major went pale.

"Good heavens! Please forgive me, milady! I had no idea she was here! When I arrived on the scene, I saw Captain Ravenheart in battle and chose to give aid!" The Major got down on one knee and bowed to the young redhead girl.

"Major, please stand up. I know you are a loyal officer and will always rush to the aid of allies, I understand that. It was only thanks to Sergeant Abberline's Perception Magic that he was able to see everything around him and inform me," The redheaded girl responded. "Please, go take Captain Ravenheart to get examined by a doctor; I'll handle things here,"

"Are you sure, milady? This man is very strong. He could be a danger to you," The Major pointed to Shisui, who was simply standing there, watching the scene unfold. He had sheathed his sword the moment the girl arrived.

"I'll be fine. Sergeant Abberline will remain at my side and protect me if I need it," The young girl responded.

"As you wish, milady," The Major bowed once more before picking up his unconscious Captain and taking her away to seek medical assistance.

Once the Major had left with his Captain, the young girl approached Shisui cautiously. Sensing her cautiousness, Shisui stepped to the side and raised his hands.

"I mean you no harm, young lady. I was simply protecting a child from that woman," Shisui explained.

"Really? Was it a young girl? Short, with green hair?" The redhead replied, stopping a few feet from Shisui.

"Yes, do you know who she is?" Shisui asked.

"It appears you don't," The girl smirked at Shisui. "It's alright, you can come out now, Hisui…"

Upon hearing her name, the little girl, now known to Shisui as Hisui, came out from her hiding spot with a big smile on her face.

"Big sister!" Hisui cried out as she ran and jumped into the redhead's outstretched arms.

"Hisui, how many times have I told you not to run away from Captain Ravenheart? You know what father would do if he found out," The redhead lightly scolded her little sister.

"But she's scary! He's nice, why can't he look after me when we go out?" Hisui asked, pointing to Shisui.

"Because he's a stranger. You know that you shouldn't talk to people you don't know. Especially with all the sinister people walking around Crocus these days," The redhead explained, looking at Shisui once as she spoke.

"I can hear you, you know?" Shisui scowled.

"Yes, I know. However, that doesn't change the fact that you're a stranger. That being said, you protected my little sister without a second thought, and for that, you have my thanks," The redhead nodded in thanks as she spoke.

"Strangers, huh? Right, I'm Shisui Karasuma. I am no longer a stranger to you. Now, who exactly are you, and what does the military want with you and your sister?" Shisui introduced himself with a slight bow.

"My, you really _aren't_ from around here, are you? Very well, Shisui Karasuma, allow me to introduce myself; I am Rena K. Fiore, Princess of Fiore. This is Hisui E. Fiore, and I'm sure I don't have to tell you that she's also a princess," Rena bowed to Shisui as she introduced herself and Hisui.

"Princesses? Ah, fuck… I'm guessing those military officers were your bodyguards then?" Shisui sighed.

"That's right. Are you telling me you didn't know that?" Rena asked with a raised eyebrow.

"No, all I know is Princess Hisui ran into me, saying she was hiding from a 'scary lady' and that's when your Captain arrived and demanded I hand the child over. She told me nothing else before she began to attack," Shisui explained, in an attempt to defend his actions of attacking a military officer.

"Oh, Captain… You really need to work on your interpersonal communication skills," Rena shook her head at how the Captain handled the situation. "I apologise on behalf of Captain Ravenheart; she's a woman of few words. An incredible fighter, but lacks proper social skills,"

At this point the man accompanying Rena, known only as Sergeant Abberline, began to whisper in her ear. While Shisui had the ability to hear every word, he respected the private affairs of the princess and chose to ignore what was being discussed.

"You make a good point, Sergeant. Would you come with me, Shisui Karasuma? There's someone who'd be interested in meeting you," Rena asked, turning her body and directing Shisui to follow her.

"Well, far be it from me to refuse a princess. Just who exactly would be interested in meeting me?" Shisui began to walk towards Rena when her response caused him to freeze on the spot.

"The King," Rena stated as she began walking off.

"This can only go one of two ways; I get thrown in prison for attacking members of the Fiore Army, or I get executed for attacking members of the Fiore Army. Fuck," Shisui groaned as he walked off and followed Rena.

* * *

Several hours had passed since Shisui's confrontation with the officers of the Fiore Army, and he was starting to get restless. Shortly after being escorted to the royal palace known as Mercurius, or the _'Flower Light Palace'_ , Shisui was directed to a room on the far side of the palace, with Sergeant Abberline keeping a watchful eye on him at all times. It was clear to Shisui that this man did not trust him.

About an hour after entering the palace, Sergeant Abberline was joined by the Major that had come to the aid of Captain Ravenheart. Both men sat somewhere in the room, both keeping an eye on Shisui. It was soon after the Major had arrived that Shisui realised he didn't actually know the large man's name, he was simply 'The Major'.

Shisui had noticed that the Sergeant had been writing notes down in a small, leather bound book ever since the Major had arrived. Figuring he had nothing to lose, since he hadn't been officially arrested or handcuffed, Shisui decided to ask Sergeant Abberline about the book.

"What are you doing over there? Writing a report about what happened between me and your Captain?" Shisui looked over at Abberline, who looked up at him.

"No, no… Though I will need to file a report for that later. No, this is for a separate case I'm working on," Abberline explained.

During Shisui's conflict with Captain Ravenheart, Abberline was simply a background character, and didn't pay much attention to him, even after Rena had shown up and 'resolved' the situation. It was only now that Shisui was able to get a good look at the man.

Sergeant Abberline was a young man in his mid-twenties. He had brown hair that was neatly combed and parted on the left and he had brown eyes. The feature that stood out the most was his beard. It was very thick and covered the lower half of his face entirely, save for his chin which was clean shaven. The Sergeant was wearing what appeared to be a suit with a white shirt and black tie, but the rest of his clothing was covered by a large, black trenchcoat.

"A separate case? What is it you do exactly?" Shisui asked, raising an eyebrow at the man.

Abberline looked over at the Major who simply nodded. At that moment, the Sergeant stood up and introduced himself to Shisui.

"Allow me to properly introduce myself. I am Sergeant Frederick Abberline, and I am in charge of Crocus' Law Enforcement Division," Abberline nodded at Shisui.

"Alright, then what about the Incredible Hulk over there?" Shisui pointed to the Major, who also stood up to introduce himself formally.

"My name is Alex Louis Armstrong, I am a Major in the Royal Fiore Army and I oversee the more intimate goings on around Crocus and act as a bodyguard for His Majesty and his family when they are out in public," The Major bowed respectfully, which Shisui partly put down to his time in the military.

"I see… Well, I had better properly introduce myself, shouldn't I?" Shisui commented as he stood up and faced the two military officers. "Shisui Karasuma. I'm a Wizard from a Guild known as Fairy Tail, but specialise in the hunting down and eradication of monsters of post-conjunction origin. I'm also a Dragon Slayer," Shisui offered his hand to Major Armstrong, who shook it tightly, before offering the same courtesy to Abberline, who returned the gesture, albeit far more gently.

"My word! A real, live Dragon Slayer? Sergeant your Perception Magic is indeed very useful to the Kingdom of Fiore!" Armstrong remarked, smacking Abberline on the back and perhaps dislocating one of the Sergeant's shoulders too.

"Perception Magic? I heard Princess Rena mention that before. What exactly is it; I am unfamiliar with that type of magic," Shisui looked at Abberline, who cleared his throat before he spoke.

"Perception Magic is, as I'm sure you can guess, a form of magic that enhances my senses and allows me to perceive and interpret many kinds of information other people are unable to see. For instance, the moment I saw you, I was able to quickly analyse your magic power and see that you possess magic levels far greater than most normal Wizards. I knew you had to be at the rank of S-Class, and that was based on magic strength alone. Physical strength was just as impressive. Your levels far exceeded that of Captain Ravenheart, and not just strength, but speed, willpower, and even adaptability. Based on my analysis, you are someone who should be considered an asset, or a threat, depending on how you act," Abberline explained.

"A threat? Is that why I'm here? You want to test me and see whether I should be considered friend or foe?" Shisui asked.

"No, not at all," Abberline raised his hands and waved them in front of him. "You passed that examination the moment I saw Princess Hisui. I knew at that moment you were fighting the Captain to protect the young princess, not to harm her,"

"Alright, but how do you know I didn't kidnap her and your Captain was trying to rescue her?" Shisui countered.

"Well, your explanation to Princess Rena was more than sufficient, but I assume you'd like me to speak in a hypothetical manner in which you didn't explain the situation the princess?" Abberline asked, getting a nod from Shisui. "Honestly, it was difficult for me to tell at first, but when I saw Princess Hisui was unharmed and wasn't in fear of her life, I knew that was not the case," Abberline finished his explanation and sat down, letting out an over-exaggerated sigh.

The Sergeant didn't get to sit down for very long, however, as a few moments later, a man burst into the room with a worried look on his face.

"Sergeant Abberline! We have a problem! We've received reports that say _he_ has struck again!" The officer exclaimed, causing Abberline to go wide eyed and stood up immediately.

"Oh, no… Major, I must go and confirm these claims. I'll be back at the soonest possible time," The Sergeant rushed out of the room discussing the something with the officer, leaving Shisui alone in the room with Major Armstrong.

"What was that?" Shisui turned to the Major.

"Ah, that… Well, I think it's best I let the Sergeant explain when he returns. It _is_ his case, after all," Armstrong muttered, gently stroking his beard as he stared at the door Abberline had left through.

Despite the hard, pensive look on the man's face, Shisui could see that his eyes betrayed his outward appearance. Major Armstrong was worried… Worried _and_ afraid. Shisui knew he would get his answers eventually.

Looking out the window, he saw that the sky was black. The sun had set a couple hours ago, and he hadn't even noticed because he had been so wrapped up in his own thoughts. His thoughts, however, came to a halt when the door opened once again, but this time there was a man in a full suit of armour, minus the helmet. He had thick, black hair, a large beard and a long, pointed nose.

"Greetings, Major Armstrong. His Majesty is ready for you now," The man saluted the Major, who returned the courtesy.

"Ah, excellent. Thank you, Lieutenant Arcadios. Would you please escort us to the Throne Room?" Armstrong asked as he began to leave the room.

"Of course, sir. This way!" Arcadios called out as he began to march from the room Shisui was in down the hall.

Shisui said nothing as he too stood up and followed the two officers through the palace.

* * *

"Wow, who knew Mercurius was so big?" Shisui muttered to himself as he followed the Major and his Lieutenant through the palace.

Shisui had been led through the halls of the palace for a good ten minutes now, and he had no idea if they were near the end of their journey.

"Yes, it's most impressive, isn't it? Fiore's Royal Palace is perhaps the largest palace in the world; standing on approximately fifteen hectares of land," Armstrong explained.

"Fifteen Hectares? Goddamn… Though, I assume not all of that is the palace itself?" Shisui asked.

"No, it's not. About three hectares is the palace gardens, and another two is the barracks for the royal guard. The rest, however, is the palace alone," Arcadios answered, nodding at how impressive the building was.

"A palace on ten hectares of land? No wonder it takes forever to get anywhere," Shisui added off-handedly.

"Oh, that reminds me; there are in fact a myriad of shortcuts and secret passages. When the palace was built, the original King wanted a way out in case a rebellion broke out and his citizens surrounded the palace exits," Armstrong clarified.

"Hmm, he sounds like a positive thinker…" Shisui muttered with an ounce of sarcasm.

"We've arrived, sir," Arcadios declared as the three men arrive at a huge, ornate set of doors that were approximately twenty feet tall. "I shall go and inform His Majesty that you are here," As Arcadios entered the Throne Room, Major Armstrong turned to face Shisui.

"Now, Shisui, there is something you should know; His Majesty doesn't always stand on traditional ceremony, but for now, I'd highly advise you follow standard etiquette anyway. You know, bowing, addressing him properly, things like that," The Major suggested, getting a silent nod from Shisui.

A few moments later, Arcadios re-emerged from the Throne Room and gestured from Shisui and the Major to enter. As soon as both men entered the room, a man spoke up, declaring their arrival.

"At the request of His Majesty, King Toma E. Fiore, I present Major Alex Louis Armstrong and…" The man hesitated upon reading Shisui's name off the parchment he had in his hands. "Mr. Shisui Karasuma!"

Both men walked across the large room towards the centre before the Major stopped and bowed on one knee, prompting Shisui to do the same.

"You may stand, gentlemen," A soft yet firm voice commanded.

As both men stood up, Shisui looked in front of him to see who had spoken, and he was very surprised by what he saw.

King Toma E. Fiore was a very short man. In fact, he was probably only a few inches taller than Hisui, if not the same height. He had a full head of grey hair and a pencil-thin moustache of the same colour. He wore a dark blue shirt with thin, white stripes along with a standard leather belt and a gold buckle. Draped over his shoulders was a dark red, velvet cape that was accented with snow-white fur and epaulets with golden embellishments. Atop the man's head was a large golden crown, inlaid with several large jewels. From first impressions, Shisui found it hard to believe this man was King of Fiore.

While Shisui was examining the King, His Majesty was doing the same thing to Shisui. His dark brown eyes scanning the young man standing before him, noticing the sword on his back, but completely missing the blades hidden on his forearms, as was the whole point of their design.

"Ah, so you're the young man who didn't hesitate to save my daughter when she was in need of help, even without knowing the whole situation, and was able to defeat one of my best Captains, and hold his own against a Major. Such traits are hard to come by these days, and you have my thanks for saving my daughter," The King bowed his head slightly in gratitude.

"It was no big deal, Your Majesty; I simply did what any other person would do," Shisui shrugged of Toma's thanks as respectfully as possible.

"But that's just it, isn't it? Anyone from my Kingdom would help, only to turn tail and run at the sight of a weapon. However, that is better still than the people of my city…" Toma commented, looking dejected as he spoke.

"With respect, sir, but is this really your city anymore?" Shisui asked.

"Excuse me?" Toma looked down at Shisui with a slightly angry look in his eye.

"Please, I meant no disrespect, but if you would just hear me out first?" Shisui looked up at Toma, whose features softened slightly as he motioned for Shisui to continue. "From what I've seen, the gangs control the outer districts of Crocus. All four districts that surround the Royal Imperial District are under the control of vicious, cutthroat gangs and there's little to no military presence in any of them. How can you say this is your city, if you do not have the means to rule it?"

"It's that blasted Alvarez Empire! They are threatening to go to war with us over something I know nothing about! Their Emperor claims Fiore to have something known as a 'Lumen Histoire', but I have never heard of such a thing! Even my scholars don't know anything about such a thing!" Toma cried, slamming his hand down on one of the armrests of his throne.

"I'm guessing they aren't buying that whole 'plausible deniability' spiel?" Shisui asked. "Then let me ask you this; what makes this Alvarez Empire so dangerous? Why have you pulled all your soldiers back into the palace grounds over something as trivial as a threat?"

"It appears you don't understand how politics work, my boy… In the beginning, I thought nothing of it. I simply chalked it up to an upstart empire trying to make a power play, and we were the closest land mass to them. However, after some research, I learned that the Alvarez Empire dominated the entire Western Continent, and they were very serious about going to war with us for this item that has no record of ever existing. Not only that, but they claim to have a dragon that will decimate us without even trying. I had no choice but to pull all my troops out of the city so they could be taught how to properly defend against a dragon," Toma sighed, rubbing his head gently.

"Why don't you go to the Magic Council? They have more than enough cause to stop a war from breaking out between nations," Shisui reasoned.

"I have petitioned to the Chairman of the Magic Council, and he has threatened the Alvarez Empire with the Etherion Cannon should they decide to invade, but I doubt that'll hold back a dragon, let alone an entire continent of soldiers," Toma shook his head.

"Why don't you just fight fire with fire? Tell them you also have a dragon that will be able to halt their armies just as easily," Shisui shrugged.

"Does it look like I have a spare dragon in my palace, child?! This is Mercurius, the Flower Light Palace! If I had a dragon down in the dungeon, then the palace would have been named 'Dragonsreach', or something just as ridiculous," Toma exclaimed.

"You might not have a dragon, but you're looking at the next best thing; I am a Dragon Slayer. And I happen to know two more, and know the means to make at least another five or six," Shisui explained.

"A Dragon Slayer? Hmm, yes… I think that might work! We tell the Emperor of the Alvarez Empire that we have created an army of Dragon Slayers! That should be enough to give them pause for thought; especially with the threat of Etherion hanging over them! Hold on, I'm sorry, did you just say you are a Dragon Slayer, and have the means to make more?" Toma looked at Shisui as if he had three heads.

"That's half correct. Yes, I _am_ a Dragon Slayer; I was raised by Skiadrum, the Shadow Dragon, but I do not have the means to make more Dragon Slayers… But I know who does. I assume you are familiar with Crawford Starrick?" Shisui looked at Toma, who looked as if a lightbulb had gone off in his head.

"Of course, that's it! Mr. Starrick has several Dragon Slayer Lacrima in his possession! Perhaps we can convince him to let us borrow them as an insurance policy," Toma muttered to himself.

"Uhh, let's not get ahead of ourselves, Your Majesty. I met with Mr. Starrick today, and he strikes me as the kind of person who doesn't like to share. Even if he did give them to us, what would you do? Implant the Lacrima into some of your soldiers? Then what? What if the Alvarez Empire back off? You're left with several Dragon Slayers in your army you won't have a use for, and since you can't retrieve the Lacrima from a person's body without killing them, Mr. Starrick would lose a very large part of his collection, and that wouldn't be fair," Shisui listed all the reasons why such a plan had more cons than pros. "Look, Your Highness, Fiore is not a warring nation. The very name of our land even means 'Flower'. All the cities in Fiore are named after flowers or plants. Does that sound like a nation that is built on war to you?"

"Hmm… It appears you are right, young man. You're sharper than you look. Alright, let me ask you this; what would you propose?" Toma looked at Shisui with sharp eyes, expecting something impressive from the boy in front of him.

"Well, I'd recommend starting off by changing our nation's Coat of Arms, introduce something that proves we are a nation that can take on the biggest threat. Tell me, what do we do with people who have been found guilty of despicable, vile acts?" Shisui rubbed his chin as he looked up at the King.

"We simply lock them up and throw away the key. Why?" Toma asked.

"Perhaps we should start… 'Informing' people that those who are found guilty of the most vile and disgusting acts will be executed. We won't actually kill them, mind you… We just need everyone to know that we are a nation that is used to seeing blood being spilled," Shisui explained.

"Hmm, I can see the logic in those words. It's an extreme measure, but I do see the logic there. I'll discuss this with my councillors when next I meet with them. However, after this little meeting, I do have one more question for you," Toma stood up and began to walk down the stairs until he as on the ground with Shisui.

"Yes, Your Majesty?" Shisui asked calmly.

"You've already met four of my five highly skilled officers who are in a special taskforce designed to combat the plague of gangs in this city… Would you do me the honour of becoming the sixth man of that squad?" Toma asked bluntly, catching Shisui off-guard.

"Excuse me?" Shisui asked, struggling to process what the King had just asked him.

"Yes, I can imagine you would be surprised, but let me clarify; you were able to defeat Captain Ravenheart in battle, and stand your ground against Major Armstrong in battle, you are a quick-thinker, highly intelligent, and have a good mind for strategy. Not to mention you are also a Dragon Slayer. In short, you are _exactly_ what this taskforce needs to be the driving force to rid my city of these gangs for good!" Toma explained.

"Ah… So that's what this was all about. You had no intention of arresting me, did you? You wanted to see what kind of person I was, and whether or not I'd be a good fit for your Army," Shisui stated, finally piecing everything he had heard together.

"Once Rena told me about what happened, I just knew I had to meet you. It's not every day you come across someone like you. I'd be a fool if I let you go without at least trying to recruit you," Toma smirked.

"Well, I appreciate the offer, sir, but I'm afraid I must decline. It's against my policy as a Wizard of a Guild to get involved in political affairs," Shisui shook his head before removing his jacket to reveal the dark blue Fairy Tail emblem on his left bicep.

"Oh, that is… That is most disappointing. I had no idea you were part of a Wizarding Guild. Please accept my apologies," Toma bowed his head slightly in apology.

"No, no, it's quite alright. I just don't think it's a good idea for me to get involved, as my actions could have ramifications for my Guild, and I don't want that to–" Shisui explained as the door to the Throne Room burst open, with Arcadios standing there, clearly out of breath.

"Y-Your Majesty…! It… It's Sergeant Abberline!" Arcadios gasped, trying to catch his breath.

"Lieutenant Arcadios! Take a breath, I can't understand you!" Toma rushed over to the large man's side.

"I apologise…" Arcadios muttered before taking a deep breath and continuing. "I've just received word from Sergeant Abberline. 'The Ripper' has claimed another victim in Blackchurch!"

As soon as Arcadios uttered the words 'The Ripper', the Throne Room went silent. It was so silent, Shisui could hear the heartbeat of everyone present. Each one had the same sound to every beat; one associated with fear.

"Major Armstrong! You and Lieutenant Arcadios take a detachment of officers and head to Blackchurch and assist the Sergeant. I'll send a message to the coroner and tell him to expect another body," Toma declared as he clapped his hands and everyone sprang into action.

"Wait, Major! Who or what the hell is 'The Ripper'?" Shisui grabbed the big man's arm as he was about to leave his side.

"I think it's best you come with us. I hope you're not bothered by the sight of blood," Armstrong commented as he marched out of the Throne Room with Shisui and Arcadios close behind.

* * *

Almost an hour later, Shisui had arrived at the scene in Blackchurch, along with Major Armstrong, Arcadios and several officers of Fiore's Royal Army. There was a section of the district that had been taped off from the public, and there was a large crowd gathered around the tape, being held back by more soldiers.

"Where is Sergeant Abberline, soldier?" Armstrong approached one of the officers who was standing guard behind the tape.

"He is with the body, sir. You may enter if you so wish," The officer lifted up the tape so the Major could duck underneath it, but lowered it when Shisui attempted to pass. "I don't think so. Civilians are not allowed in this area. Stay behind the tape, or go home!"

"Stand down, soldier. This man is with me. I hope you are not questioning my authority?" The Major asked dangerously, looking down at the man in front of him.

"Err, n-no sir! I apologise! Please, go right ahead; Sergeant Abberline will be waiting for you," The officer bowed to the Major and Shisui.

Shisui said nothing as he passed under the tape and followed Major Armstrong down a narrow alleyway, before they bumped into Sergeant Abberline.

"Oh, Major! You're finally here. Shisui's here too? Does that mean you've decided to help out the Kingdom with its gang problem?" Abberline asked as the two men walked past him.

"No, I'm just here to see what makes 'The Ripper' strike fear into your hearts," Shisui stated bluntly as he felt a drop of water hit his cheek.

As he looked up, he saw that it had begun to rain.

"No! Dammit, not yet! We haven't finished processing the scene!" Abberline cried as he rushed back off down the alleyway.

"Calm yourself, Sergeant. I'll handle it," Armstrong reassured the Sergeant by summoning a huge dome of rock that covered the area they were in, keeping the rain from destroying any evidence.

"You have my gratitude, Major!" Abberline sighed as he took the Major's large hand and shook it. "Come, it's right around the corner. But, I must warn you, it is a most gruesome sight,"

Several thoughts were running through Shisui's mind as Abberline escorted him towards the body. Who was 'The Ripper'? Why was he so dangerous? What motivates him to commit such vile crimes? Was the crime scene really so gruesome to someone who slays post-conjunction monsters for a living?

"Shisui, I am right in assuming you don't know anything about 'The Ripper', do you?" Abberline asked as they turned another corner.

"That's right. No-one has told me anything. Major Armstrong simply told me I should accompany him and see for myself," Shisui responded.

"Well, let me give you a bit of information on the man. He is known as 'The Ripper'; that's all we know about the man's identity, but he is one of the Crypt Kings' butchers. They use him as a weapon to control Blackchurch through fear, and his victims never escape his deadly grasp. Oddly enough, he displays his victims out in the open as if it were some sort of sickening artwork," Abberline flicked through his notebook as the trio kept walking.

"Or an open challenge to you to try and catch him," Shisui added, getting a nod from the Sergeant.

"Yes, especially since… Well, see for yourself," Abberline pointed directly in front of him.

Shisui followed Abberline's finger and found himself looking at a truly horrific sight.

The latest victim of 'The Ripper' was a woman, who had been so badly brutalised, her death was more of a mercy than anything else.

On the wall was a message written in her blood; _Blackchurch belongs to the Crypt Kings. Outsiders are not welcome. Anyone seen talking to outsiders will become 'The Ripper's' next victim._

Shisui closely inspected the body, examining every little detail when something caught his eye. There was a slight bulge in the woman's throat. Removing a throwing knife from his belt, Shisui began to poke at the woman's throat before something unexpected fell out of the wound.

"That looks like…" Abberline muttered as he watched the object fall into Shisui's hand.

"Yes… It's a gold coin," Shisui commented as he wiped the blood off the coin. "That's not all…"

Shisui pressed his knife deeper into the wound before a shower of golden coins fell out of her throat. Stepping back to avoid getting the blood on the coins all over his boots. When Shisui stepped back, he made a shocking discovery.

"Hold on… I… I know this woman," Shisui muttered, examining the woman's face properly. "Yeah… She's the one who told me all about the gangs who took over Crocus…"

"Shisui, I…" Abberline began, but was interrupted by Shisui.

"So, Sergeant, you wanted to know if I've decided to rid Crocus of these gangs?" Shisui asked as he ripped the left sleeve of his jacket off before making his guild mark vanish from his arm in a flash of black fire.

Before the Sergeant could react, Shisui turned and walked off before uttering one final sentence.

"You're damn right I will,"

* * *

 **A/N; I finally managed to get this thing done. It was difficult for me because I wanted to make this really dark, as a way to drive the story forward, as I want to convey the thought/idea of how being surrounded by darkness and corruption can change a person's attitude. That, and since this is all my own stuff I wanted to try and make it up to a high standard so it's not boring.**

 **Right, there's not much else I have to say on this chapter, so I'll end it here. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and are looking forward to the rest of this arc. On that note, I don't know how long this arc will last. Maybe 10-15 Chapters? It's going to go from X779-X781, so I have two years to get through. Feel free to leave a review; constructive criticism is always welcome, just don't be a dick about it.**


	6. The Gangs of Crocus

Chapter Six – The Gangs Of Crocus

One week had passed since the Crypt Kings' most notorious killer, known only as 'The Ripper', had claimed another victim. A victim that had given Shisui aid when he arrived in Crocus for the first time in almost a year.

After that night, Shisui had immediately reversed his prior decision to keep out of the affairs of the Kingdom and accept the offer of being assigned to the Royal Army's special taskforce that had been created to combat the gangs that had taken over the four districts surrounding Crocus' Royal Imperial District.

What Shisui didn't expect was the rank he was given by King Toma. He assumed he'd simply be given a low rank in the Army, something outside the Officer's Class, but he was wrong. His Majesty had seen fit to grant Shisui the rank of Colonel, meaning he was now the highest ranked officer within the taskforce.

Apparently, the decision had come from the recommendation of Major Armstrong, who strongly believed that Shisui was the man the Royal Army needed to eradicate the blight of the gangs controlling Crocus.

The newly appointed Colonel was currently on his way to a weekly squad briefing, where Major Armstrong had agreed to give him a full run down of the information they had been able to collect on the four gangs.

"Good morning, Colonel!" Abberline, Arcadios, and Armstrong all greeted Shisui in unison as he entered the briefing room.

"Good morning, gentlemen. You may sit," Shisui motioned for the three men to sit down. "I see Captain Ravenheart is not here yet? Is she still not cleared for active duty, Major?" Shisui looked at Armstrong, who cleared his throat as he stood up.

"I don't know where the Captain is, sir. From what I have been told by medical staff, she was cleared for active duty days ago," Armstrong explained before taking his seat again.

"I see… And I probably shouldn't ask where the Second Lieutenant is, should I?" Shisui sighed.

Even after just one week in the Royal Army, Shisui knew this wasn't his thing. He didn't really care much for titles and the rank he held, but he still followed basic procedure out of respect. However he could not, in good conscience, leave Crocus after what 'The Ripper' did to that poor woman who helped him. He owed it to her and her family to heal the sickness the city was infected with because of these gangs.

"Alright, Major, since both the Captain and Second Lieutenant are nowhere to be seen, we'll just have to start without them. So, if you please?" Shisui looked at the Major, who nodded and as he stood up, the door to the room opened and a moment later Captain Ravenheart entered.

"Oh, there you are, Captain. Good of you to join us. We're just about to get underway here, so please take a seat and we can begin," Armstrong announced as the Captain wandered over to a vacant seat and sat down.

"Good morning, Captain. Glad to see you're up and about again," Shisui commented as he passed the Captain a set of documents for her to read.

"Colonel," Captain Ravenheart nodded to Shisui before she began to read the papers she had been given.

Captain Ophelia Ravenheart. A woman of few words, but exceptionally skilled with a blade and hand-to-hand combat. Shisui could tell the Captain had a sore spot when it came to him, and it wasn't just because he punched her in the face when he was protecting Hisui.

"Ahem! Right, let's get started shall we?" Armstrong began as he flipped over a board to reveal a large collection of intel that was separated into four different parts. "First, we'll start off with the gang we all know about; the Blackchurch Crypt Kings. Named as such because of the fact their hideout is located in the underground catacombs that run all under Blackchurch. What makes them so difficult to pin down the the fact that every so often, they pack up their camp and move it somewhere else,"

"I see, and am I correct in saying it's true that their leader is in fact a Dragon Slayer like I am?" Shisui asked.

"Yes, sir. We have been able to confirm that. However, the kind of magic they use is still a mystery to us, as is their identity," Armstrong pulled out an extendable rod before pointing at a picture of a black silhouette with a white question mark in the middle.

"Hmm… So their leader is as much a mystery as the man known as 'The Ripper'? Sergeant Abberline, do you have anything that might help us identify who 'The Ripper' could be?" Shisui looked at the Sergeant, who began to flick through his notes.

"Umm, I'm afraid not, Colonel. We've yet to find anything that's something more than a claim here, or some hearsay there," Abberline sighed as he closed his notebook.

"Don't worry, Sergeant. We'll get this bastard. I promise you that much," Shisui tried to reassure the young Sergeant.

"I have faith in you, sir, but what if he claims another victim before then? He's already claimed the lives of six people; and that's six too many in my book," Abberline replied, propping his head up with one of his hands as he shuffled the papers around on the desk in front of him.

"I agree, but for now, let's focus on what we _do_ know. Major, what about the other gangs; where do we stand on them?" Shisui directed his attention back to the large man.

"Well, that's where we're in luck. We have been able to confirm the identities of all other gang leaders, and their Lieutenants," The Major explained as he pointed at two pictures at the bottom of the board. "These two here are Vendra and Neftin Prog; they are the leaders in charge of the Darkwater Mariners gang to the South. Vendra, the sister, is clearly the brains of the two, while Neftin is the brawn. In case you were wondering, they are indeed twins,"

"Right, and what's their gang responsible for? From what I was told, they control the city's port and harbour, essentially cutting off any supplies from getting into the city by sea. I think taking down the Darkwater Mariners would be the best thing to do. The faster we can get supplies into the city, the quicker we can start building morale for the people," Shisui reasoned, getting nods from Abberline, Arcadios, and Armstrong. Ophelia simply sat there and said nothing.

"Begging your pardon, Colonel, but that might be easier said than done," Arcadios spoke up, getting Shisui's attention.

"Oh, and why is that, Lieutenant?" Shisui looked at Arcadios, who nodded before speaking.

"Well, sir… Look at them. What do you notice?" Arcadios pointed to the mugshots of the Prog Twins.

When Shisui looked closely at the images, he did notice something was a little off about them. Vendra had very pale skin, almost the same colour as ash and had long, pink hair that hung down her back as far as her waist. She had pale yellow eyes that were as cold and empty as the void and the look on her face showed nothing but seething hatred.

"They're not human…" Shisui whispered after carefully examining Vendra's picture.

"Precisely. They appear to be sentient being from another world, most likely finding their way here after the Conjunction of the Spheres almost 800 years ago. That isn't to say they've been alive since then, mind you," Arcadios clarified.

"Yes, we've actually arrested them once before; a few years ago they were apprehended trying to push narcotics on the black market," Abberline explained, scratching the back of his head and waiting for the inevitable.

"Then how did they escape?" Shisui looked at Abberline, who suddenly found the table to be the most interesting thing in the room.

"Well, first of all, look at the picture of Neftin; tell me what you see," Abberline commented, pointing at the picture of the other Prog Twin.

Just like his sister, Neftin had pale skin too, and his hair was a dark shade of red, quite similar to the shade of Vendra's hair, but his hair pointed upwards not unlike a large horn. He had black eyes, and the right eye was covered by some sort of eyepiece; possibly some tool used to scan his surroundings.

Shisui spent a few minutes examining the picture when he realised something particularly odd…

"Where's the rest of his body?" Shisui looked at Abberline, who nodded when Shisui realised what he was meant to be looking for.

"That's just it; he's just a head. When we apprehended the twins before, Vendra blew up their base in an attempt to escape. Neftin, however, was still inside and nearly died. Medical officers were able to save him, but his body was damaged beyond repair. So they simply put his head in a jar that keeps him alive with some sort of stasis magic," Abberline explained.

"Right, so we have a psycho and a head in a jar. Why is that going to be hard to take down?" Shisui looked at Arcadios, who coughed nervously.

"Well sir… Neftin is no longer a simple 'head in a jar'. He's got a new body; a robotic one," Arcadios muttered.

"Excuse me?" Shisui looked at Arcadios with disbelief.

"Allow me to explain, Colonel. About a year ago, Vendra and Neftin escaped from prison after finding out the Royal Army had been experimenting with war machines; robotics and things of the like. One such design was a giant battle suit that could withstand heavy attacks from the most powerful wizards," Armstrong spoke up.

"Let me guess, Neftin's new body is one of those battle suits…? For fuck sake. This is why you don't build machines for war. Anyone can steal them and use them for their own gain," Shisui sighed, shaking his head.

"Yes… We agreed that, after the Prog Twins escaped, all war machines would be scrapped and never considered for use again. Neftin's body is the only machine still in existence. However, since Neftin cannot be harmed by magic, and Vendra uses explosive magical projectiles, no-one can get close enough to remove Neftin's head from the machine, and with that optical scanner he has, stealth won't work either," Armstrong summed up, looking disappointed. Shisui couldn't tell if it was disappointment due to the creation of war machines, or due to the fact they cannot get close enough to Neftin to remove his head from the machine.

"Right, so we have a girl who specialises in firing explosive projectiles, and a giant cyborg… I guess taking them down _is_ easier said than done. What about the other gangs?" Shisui turned his attention back to the board, waiting for the Major to continue.

"The Cult of The Damned… As the name suggests, they are a cult who are hell bent on throwing the world into chaos so they can revive their, as they put it, 'fallen master'," Armstrong pointed to the next set of pictures.

"A fallen master? Oh, this should be good… Do we know who it is?" Shisui asked, almost scoffing at how ludicrous the notion of a 'fallen master of chaos' sounded.

"Not directly, no. There is an abbey in that district, the religious group who occupies it are known as 'The Sisters of The Light', and they tell us the cultists keep praising the name 'Lord Indra'. We have yet to ascertain the individual's true identity," Arcadios stated.

"Alright, I'll make a note to search the city's Akashic Records. If this 'Lord Indra' ever lived in this city, I'll find proof," Shisui muttered, scribbling down a note on the matter. "Right, so who are the leaders of this cultist gang?"

"Right now, we only know of one man, but suspect he is either a puppet of higher powers, or collaborating with other people. His name is Freed Sellzen," Major Armstrong pointed to a picture of the man, which looked like it had been taken by someone undercover.

The man himself looked a lot like a man of the Cloth, but the smile on his face told Shisui that this couldn't be further from the truth. He had a very dark and twisted look on his face, the smile contributed to his look of someone that would be branded a psychopath. He had grey shoulder length hair, and dark red eyes. He looked more like a Demon than a Human.

"So, what do we know about this man? Sergeant Abberline?" Shisui looked at the Sergeant, who shook his head.

"I'm afraid I must defer to Captain Ravenheart for this one. She is the only one who's seen the man, as she was the one who was able to get close enough to him to get that picture," Abberline responded.

"Very well. Captain?" Shisui looked at Ophelia, who narrowed her eyes slightly.

"Freed Sellzen is a truly disgusting man. He claims to be a holy man, but his actions prove he is anything but. Human trafficking, extortion, kidnapping, torture, murder… These are but a few of the crimes this man has committed, claiming it to be a 'holy cause in an attempt to bring his flock closer to Lord Indra'. The man is also highly skilled in the use of swords, and firearms. It'll be difficult to even get close to him, let alone bring him down," Ophelia explained, her neutral voice and expression were betrayed by her eyes. Her eyes burned with malice and hatred. Shisui knew there was more to this than what the Captain was telling him.

"Right, and what about his followers? Do they know how depraved this man is?" Shisui asked.

"I'm certain most of them have joined his cause simply to wreak havoc in the city and do what they please without being reprimanded. They don't care about the religious side of it. That means they'll be the first to flee if things begin to go bad. It's his inner circle that we need to be more careful with. They believe Freed to be some sort of divine being; a conduit that speaks the words and will of this Indra," Ophelia looked at the four men in front of her; they could all see she wasn't joking.

"Then it's safe to assume that Freed's inner circle will willingly give their lives to defend the man," Armstrong muttered as he stroked his moustache.

"Indeed. I have devised two possible ways to remove them from the equation, however…" Ophelia began. "We either discredit Freed; show him to be the monster that he truly is, or we can forcibly subdue them all before dealing with Freed himself,"

"Well, let's not get ahead of ourselves, people. We'll need to exclusively focus on Freed and the Cult of the Damned to take them down. Right now, I'd prefer it if we simply focus on gaining intel on the gangs as a whole. So, someone tell me more about this last gang; the Devil's Hand," Shisui stated, looking around the room.

"Unfortunately, this gang is similar to the Crypt Kings, Colonel. There's not a lot we know about them, save for the fact they seem to more of a gang that focuses on extortion and theft. If someone enters Crocus and loses something along the way, you can almost guarantee the Devil's Hand were involved," Arcadios explained.

"Right, but what do they steal? Money, jewellery, other valuables?" Shisui asked.

"That's the thing; they'll steal _anything_. Money, jewellery, food, clothing, weapons… Practically anything that isn't nailed down. The trouble is, we don't know _why_ they do it. To be frank, it's almost like they're just a minor inconvenience to the populace," Arcadios rubbed his chin, trying to think of anything that would be helpful.

"Do we know who leads them, or who their main players are?" Shisui asked.

"We have heard rumour of their leader being a monster of post-conjunction origin, but these are simply rumours; we've been unable to confirm whether or not it's true," Armstrong added.

"Alright, then I'm sure I can be of some help there; I have experience dealing with those creatures. If the rumours are indeed true, then it's obviously a sentient being; one that's spent a long time hiding amongst humans…" Shisui muttered, making a list of possible suspects.

"Hold on a moment, Major, I've heard something else…" Abberline spoke up, flicking through his notebook. "I've heard that it's a Dark Wizard who leads them, and they steal all of this bizarre stuff because the man needs it for his experiments,"

"Experiments? Do you know what kind?" Shisui asked, becoming interested.

"Again, this is merely hearsay, so don't take it at face value, but I've heard that the Wizard is trying to build an army of Atronachs and Elementals, and apparently many odd items are needed for the summoning rituals," Abberline read from his notebook while explaining what he had heard.

"Alright, then I think we should make that our top priority for now. Sergeant, I want some of your men to try and infiltrate the Devil's Hand and find out exactly what is going on there. You, however, will remain in charge of 'The Ripper' case. Major, I want you and Arcadios to start an investigation into Vendra and Neftin Prog; see if we can't find out what they're planning to do with the city's docks," Shisui stood up before he turned to Ophelia. "Captain, I want to speak with you in private,"

Shisui left the room, followed by Ophelia, who looked to be in no mood for a lecture. She assumed it was because she was late to the meeting, and she wasn't going to stand for someone younger than her to have a go at her for something so trivial.

Both Shisui and Ophelia entered the room next door, and when Ophelia had walked inside, Shisui slammed the door before kicking a chair over to her.

"Sit," Shisui commanded.

Her anger rising, Ophelia sat down and glared at her commanding officer, who returned the glare with an empty stare.

"I'm only going to ask this once, and keep in mind I know the answer before you even say it. Why are you lying to me, Captain?" Shisui looked at the Captain, who was taken aback ever so slightly.

"Huh? I don't–" Ophelia began, but was silenced when Shisui held up his hand.

"I'm talking about the Cult of the Damned. You're withholding information. I could see it when you were talking about Freed. What are you hiding?" Shisui asked, leaning in towards the Captain; his green eyes staring deep into her golden ones.

"What makes you think I'm hiding something?" Ophelia asked.

"The fact your eyes were burning with hatred when you spoke. I'd commend you on keeping such a composed demeanour, but I don't like it when people hide things from me. Now talk; you won't be leaving here until you tell me what you're hiding," Shisui growled, never breaking eye contact with Ophelia.

Shisui and Ophelia spent five minutes staring at each other in complete silence. She knew she wasn't going to win this fight, and that really pissed her off. Sighing, she cracked and began to talk.

"It's not Freed that's the main issue. It's his guard dog, Shahkulu," Ophelia began.

"Shahkulu? Who is this man?" Shisui asked.

"He's a renegade from the East. He hails from the Pergrande Kingdom. From what I've heard, he used to be one of the King's top soldiers… Until he decided to murder him. After that, he fled Pergrande and ended up here, working as Freed's personal bodyguard. He's a disgusting individual who enjoys torture, killing his victims slowly and many other kinds of blood sport," Ophelia clenched her fists in anger as she spoke.

"What's your history with this Shahkulu? No-one hates someone this much just because they murdered a king and is now working for a madman. What aren't you telling me?" Shisui looked at Ophelia, trying to figure out what was going on inside her head.

"That's personal," Ophelia responded bluntly.

"Fine, but let me be perfectly clear… If I find that whatever issues you have with this Shahkulu is affecting your judgement to do your job, I'll be removing you from this assignment. Do I make myself clear?" Shisui growled, looking directly at Ophelia, who was taken aback by Shisui's commanding tone.

"Yes, sir…" Ophelia muttered.

"Good, now off you go; you have work to do," Shisui opened the door and stood aside so the Captain could get up and leave. Once she left the room, Shisui followed only to be stopped by Sergeant Abberline.

"Excuse me, Colonel, but there's something I wish to discuss with you…" Abberline muttered, looking around to see if anyone else was within earshot.

"What is it, Sergeant?" Shisui looked at Abberline with a raised eyebrow.

"I've been thinking about what we talked about in the briefing a moment ago, and I realised something that could be beneficial to us," Abberline leaned in close to Shisui and whispered.

"Yes? Go on…" Shisui encouraged the Sergeant to continue.

"Well, it's about the Prog Twins and Freed. Since both Freed and Vendra are skilled with using projectiles, and Neftin cannot be taken by surprise with stealth, I think the best way to take them down would be to, in layman's terms, 'fight fire with fire'," Abberline suggested.

"Oh, no… I'm not about to use guns to fight. I have my Magic; that's enough for me," Shisui raised a hand to stop Abberline from talking.

"No, sir, you misunderstand…" Abberline looked around once more before turning back to Shisui. "I've heard rumours of a girl probably a few years older than you, if not the same age, living in the forest to the West of the city. If what I've heard is true, she's a master huntress; skilled in the use of bows and arrows. They say she can pop a muskrat's head from a hundred paces without needing to take proper aim,"

"Are you saying what I think you're saying?" Shisui muttered, getting a nod out of Abberline.

"Yes, I think you should go and seek this girl out and get her to teach you how to use a bow and arrow. Used correctly, they are far more lethal than any gun," Abberline smirked.

"Alright, Sergeant, I'll look into this. Thank you," Shisui nodded before he turned and walked off.

"Oh, one more thing! When you're done, come find me in the barracks! I want to discuss 'The Ripper' case with you!" Abberline called out, getting a wave of acknowledgment from Shisui as he wandered off.

* * *

A couple hours later, Shisui found himself in the middle of a large forest to the West of Crocus, searching for the mysterious huntress that Abberline had spoken of. To say the search wasn't going well would have been putting it mildly.

Shisui had spent the past couple hours searching the forest to no avail. Part of him knew that this would have been the case, for hunters were experts at travelling without leaving a trace, as he could do the same thing. However, it was also possible there was no evidence of the huntress because she didn't exist.

"I swear, if Abberline was screwing with me, there will be hell to pay when I get back to the palace," Shisui grumbled.

While he carried on his journey, he heard the unmistakable sound of a branch snapping underfoot and stopped dead in his tracks. That's when he heard another peculiar sound; the sound of a bowstring being drawn.

Almost immediately, Shisui saw an arrow fly out of the trees above him and was aiming right for him. Somersaulting backwards, Shisui was able to avoid the arrow with relative ease, but he then realised it wasn't a normal arrow.

The arrow had a two-pronged tip that was only about an inch long, and had a strange glass casing at the head. Upon impact with the ground, the casing broke and began to emit a strong sonic wave. The wave got stronger before discharging a massive pulse of energy, which knocked Shisui back into a nearby tree, stunning him.

"Argh, alright… Not gonna fall for that one again. But how do I counter sonic energy?" Shisui muttered as he shook off the dazed feeling he received from the pulse and the impact with the tree, only to find himself looking at the tip of another arrow that was aimed right at him.

"So, you finally found me, huh? Well, I suggest you leave now, because I'd rather die than go back with you!" The assailant growled.

Looking up, Shisui saw the person who had ambushed him was a girl about his age. She had thick, auburn hair that went down most of her back, and had several thick braids running through it. There were a pair of bird feathers tied into a rudimentary headband, and she was wearing leather that was ideal for hunting. Her piercing green eyes stared down at Shisui, who was still reeling from the impact with the tree.

Shisui knew this must have been the huntress the Sergeant told him about. Raising an empty hand, he pushed himself up and shook off the dizziness he was feeling before looking directly at the girl.

"Easy, easy… I'm not here to take you anywhere. I came looking for your help," Shisui replied calmly, in an attempt to get her to lower her bow.

"You expect me to believe that?! It was my father who sent you, wasn't it?! Ugh, you're always so eager to kiss his ass, aren't you, bastard!" The girl growled, tightening the grip on her bow.

"Your father? Look, I don't know what you're talking about, but I suggest you calm down," Shisui warned, glaring at the girl.

"Like that's ever going to happen. I ran away from that retched place years ago, I'm not going back!" The girl shouted indignantly.

"Alright, looks like I have no choice…" Shisui muttered as he pressed himself up against the tree.

Immediately, Shisui turned into a shadow; his body become almost liquid-like as he sunk into the tree's shadow, disappearing completely.

"What?! How did you–?" The girl gasped before she felt her bow being ripped out of her hands and absorbed into the shadows too.

"Are you ready to calm down now? You are unarmed and I, like you, will not hesitate to shoot you," Shisui whispered from behind the girl, startling her.

"How did you do that? You shouldn't have been able to–" The girl turned around and saw Shisui standing in front of her, bow raised and arrow fully drawn, ready to shoot if she tried anything.

"What I can and can't do is no business of yours. Now, will you calm down and listen to me? I don't know who you are, where you came from, or who your father is, and I certainly haven't come to kidnap you," Shisui explained as he kept the arrow trained on the girl's chest.

"Alright, fine, I believe you. It appears you're not the person I thought you were. What do you want with me, if you're not here to take me back to my father?" The girl asked.

"First of all, I need confirmation; are you the girl who lives in these woods who goes by the name 'The Huntress'?" Shisui asked.

"That is what the people of the city to the East call me, yes. What's it to you?" The girl snapped.

"I want you to teach me how to properly use a bow and arrow. I need a form of non-magical weaponry that fires projectiles which isn't a firearm," Shisui replied.

"Hmph, I figured you were gonna ask that. Fine, I'll teach you, but lower that thing before you kill someone!" The girl pointed at the bow, making Shisui lower it.

"Right, well do you have a name, or do you want me to call you 'Teacher' or some bollocks like that?" Shisui narrowed his eyes as he removed the arrow from the bow.

"I am simply known as 'The Huntress'. That's all you need to know, so you may simply call me that," The Huntress responded as she snatched the bow and arrow from Shisui.

"Well then, Huntress, are you going to teach me or are we just going to stand around and talk all day?" Shisui sighed.

"Hmm… Nope. Come back in two days' time. I shall teach you how to use a bow and arrow every second day," The Huntress responded as she climbed a tree.

"Hey, hold on a second! Don't you want to know my name? I figured it's a common courtesy, even if you won't tell me your real name!" Shisui called out.

"No, that's alright. I have a feeling I already know it," The Huntress muttered as she leapt off the branch she was standing on and disappeared into the forest.

"Well, that was all sorts of weird… But, at least I found someone to teach me how to use a bow and arrow," Shisui shrugged as he began to make his way back towards Crocus. "I should probably go find Abberline. He said he wanted to talk to me about 'The Ripper'…"

* * *

As Shisui was walking back through the West End District of Crocus, the district that was under the control of Freed Sellzen and his 'Cult of the Damned', Shisui was quietly observing the district and its residents.

' _Seems the people are very docile… No, perhaps a better word is afraid. If what Ophelia told me about both Freed and Shahkulu is in fact true, then I'm not surprised,'_ Shisui thought to himself as he watched several people wander the streets with their heads down and keeping out of each other's way.

"What did you say to me?! I hope you didn't just disrespect me, because I'd hate to have Shahkulu come and teach you how to talk to your betters!" A voice yelled from down the road.

"Oh, this can't be good…" Shisui muttered as he began to walk in the direction of the commotion.

"I'm sorry! Please, don't tell Freed about this!" A young man cried.

"You dare speak the Holy Prophet's name so casually! How dare you?!" A large man, who was the person Shisui heard before, yelled as he punched the young man in the stomach, knocking him to his knees.

"N-No…! I… I meant–!" The young man gasped, trying to get his breath back.

"Be silent, worm! Looks like I'll have to teach you the error of your ways! Come on, you two!" The large man yelled to his two companions, as they all started beating up the young man.

"Hey! Leave him alone!" Shisui shouted from down the street, causing the three men to stop their assault.

"Who the fuck are you?" One of the men asked.

"Who cares? If he thinks he can waltz into our territory and tell us what to do, he's fucking dumber than this guy!" A second scoffed, pointing to the man on the ground.

"Oh, look here, guys; this brave soul is one of the King's men!" The large man grinned as he pointed to the epaulet on Shisui's jacket. "Oho! He appears to be a Colonel too! A bit young for the Army, aren't you, kiddo?"

"If that's what you think, then why don't you come and find out?" Shisui asked as he walked towards them.

"Huh, can't be much of an officer, can he? Look! One of the sleeves of his jacket is missing!" The first man pointed to the missing left sleeve that Shisui had ripped off when he removed his Guild Mark after witnessing the latest victim of 'The Ripper'.

"Oh, look at that sword! Me thinks it's far too fancy for a kid like you! Perhaps the Holy Prophet will accept it as an offering, or maybe Shahkulu can find a use for it when he 'interrogates' enemies of Lord Indra!" The large man grinned as he cracked his knuckles.

"What, this thing? Oh, no… I won't be using this. This sword is for slaying monsters. You three are no better than simple pond scum. I'll deal with you myself," Shisui taunted.

"The fuck did you just say?!" The second man roared as he charged at Shisui.

"It appears you didn't learn the most basic rule of close combat…" Shisui sighed as he side-stepped the man's attack, grabbed his outstretched arm and tossed the man over his shoulder before punching him in the mouth. "Those who make the first move, are the first to fall…"

"Cocky little bastard, isn't he?" The large man growled.

The large man was the next to launch an attack. He swaggered up to Shisui with his fists raised, ready to do battle. By the way he was standing, Shisui knew the man had some knowledge and experience in hand-to-hand combat.

The large man threw a powerful punch, aimed at Shisui's head, but was parried easily. Each punch the man threw became faster and more powerful than the one before, but all had the same result as the first one. That was, until Shisui was caught off-guard by the man on the ground.

As the large man kept throwing his punches, Shisui was being backed closer and closer to the man on the ground, who was waiting for his opportunity to launch a sneak attack. As soon as he was close enough, the second man grabbed Shisui's ankles and pulled them, causing Shisui to fall over, not before he caught a powerful fist to the jaw from the large man.

Tumbling to the ground, Shisui groaned in pain before rolling over onto his hands and knees to spit out some saliva that had been mixed with his blood. The bloody saliva fell into the sand and began to dry out in the hot sun.

Shisui was just about to get up when the first man came running in and delivered a powerful kick to the stomach, knocking the breath out of Shisui and causing him to cough up more blood. Shaking from the kick, Shisui turned his head and looked up at the three men standing over him.

"Aw, where's that tough talk now, little lad?" The large man taunted.

"Heh, it looks like he won't be needing this anymore," The first man reached for Shisui's sword, only to have him vanish in a cloud of shadows.

"What? How did he–?" The second man yelled as all three watched Shisui appear several feet away from them, now on his feet.

"Alright, I'm done holding back… If you want a real fight, you got it!" Shisui whispered, allowing his magic energy to pour out of him, cracking the earth beneath his feet.

Shisui took one step forward, then vanished, shocking the three men in front of him.

"Where the fuck did he go?!" The first man asked.

"He probably got scared as ran away. I knew he was bluff – Oof!" The second man began to boast, but was promptly silenced when Shisui appeared before him and landed an attack on him.

"Shadow Dragon Pulse…" Shisui uttered the words as he hit the man square in the chest, sending a concentrated blast of Shadow Magic through the man's body, sending him flying into a nearby wall.

"How the hell did he–?" The large man started, but the words died in his throat as he saw the his other comrade fall to Shisui's attacks.

"Shadow Dragon Claw!" Shisui slashed down at the first man, landing his shadowy talons on the man's chest, cutting his clothes open and drawing blood.

"Goddamn… You…" The first man strained as he fell to the ground unconscious.

"Hey, that's not fair! You didn't say anything about being a Wizard!" The large man growled.

"Fair? Fair?! You think it's fair to attack someone for no other reason that they hold a different point of view to you? You think it's fair to take away someone's freedom, simply because you think you have the power to? If that's the case, then fuck you, fuck your 'Holy Prophet', fuck his guard dog, and fuck your 'Lord Indra'! Now, what are you going to do about that?" Shisui grabbed the large man and slammed him into a wall, his green eyes blazing with rage.

The large man, however, had no opportunity to form a response, as the second man, the one who had been hit with Shisui's Shadow Dragon Pulse began to cough uncontrollably. The man's coughing got worse and worse, to the point where he ended up coughing up blood.

"It… It hurts! What… What did you do to me?!" The man gasped in between fits of coughing, throwing up more and more blood until a sizeable pool of it had formed on the ground around him.

The chaos didn't stop there. The first man, who had felt the sting of the Shadow Dragon Claw was holding his chest in agony, writhing about in pain. He too had started throwing up a considerable amount of blood.

"What the… What did you do to them?" The large man whispered as he watched the life ebb away from his comrades, seeing them die in a pool of their own blood.

Shisui was just as surprised as the large man was. His Shadow Magic had never done such a thing before, and he knew he used enough power to merely subdue the men, not to kill them. Yet, here they were, dead at his feet. He had no idea how this could have happened.

"You… You're a monster!" The large man yelled, pushing Shisui away and breaking his hold before running away yelling and screaming about a murderer and how 'Lord Indra will vanquish the evil in him'.

Due to his fight with the three men, Shisui had attracted a somewhat sizeable crowd. There were mixed reactions on their faces. Some were horrified at the gory sight in front of them. Others were scared, while some were relieved that someone had taken care of their tormentors.

Ignoring the crowd around him, Shisui went over and examined the bodies. Upon first glance, it was as if the men had simply died of a plague, but that wasn't possible. Crocus had no form of outbreak and even if it did, both men showed no prior indication of being afflicted by disease. Adding in the fact the pair of them died almost simultaneously after being hit by Shisui's magic led him to one conclusion.

Shisui had _murdered_ these men.

Intentional or not, two people were now dead because of him. Bad or not, they were still people, but Shisui knew they were just the first of many in a war to take back Crocus from these gangs.

"Thank you, my child. Thank you for saving us from these men," A woman approached Shisui and placed a hand gently on his shoulder.

Turning around, Shisui saw the woman was a few years older than him, and was wearing a Nun's habit. It wasn't hard to figure out who she was.

"You're one of those 'Sisters of the Light', aren't you?" Shisui muttered.

"That is correct, and while I know their deaths were unintentional, you have now given some of the people hope, and put Freed and his followers on notice," The woman replied softly.

"Maybe so, but these men didn't deserve to die… Goddamn it," Shisui grit his teeth. He was angry at himself for going too far.

"Do not burden yourself with guilt, my son. My sisters and I will take care of the bodies. The people here, they will say nothing, but expect Freed to get retribution for this," The woman waved a hand and four men approached her from the crowd and moved over to the bodies.

"No, wait. Take only one. The other will be coming with me. I need to know what killed them. My magic should not have been capable of such a thing," Shisui held out an arm to stop the men.

"If that is what you wish," The woman nodded, motioning for the men to remove one of the two bodies.

"Looks like I have a long road ahead of me," Shisui muttered as he picked up the other body and vanished with it, leaving a cloud of shadows.

"Go with The Light, my son," The woman whispered as she said a silent prayer for both Shisui and the two men who had died.

* * *

About ten minutes later, Shisui had returned to the barracks that were situated on the palace grounds. More specifically, he had returned to the medical area that was used for treating the wounded, and storing the bodies of the soldiers who had died.

"Hey, is there anyone here?!" Shisui called out as he dragged the corpse of the man he had killed behind him.

"Is that you, Colonel?" A muffled voice responded before a man exited a tent and approached him.

The man in question was dressed similar to a Medieval Plague Doctor. He was wearing a long, black robe that was covered in a thin waxy film to keep blood and other fluids from sticking to the material. He had a pair of thick, leather gloves on that were also covered in a thin film of the same waxy substance. He also wore a white mask that had an elongated beak, similar to that of a bird, and the eyeholes were covered by lenses that allowed the man to look out of, but no-one to be able to look back through.

"Malfatto… I have a body for you to inspect. I need to know what killed him," Shisui handed the body over to the doctor.

"I see… I suppose a full examination will be required. Where did you find him?" Malfatto asked.

"The West End District. He was a member of the Cult of the Damned," Shisui explained as Malfatto picked the body up and carried it to the tent he was using.

"Ah, right. I assume you want to know how he died, yes?" Malfatto inquired as he placed the body down on an operating table.

"No, I know how he died, it's just… I don't know _what_ caused him to die," Shisui clarified, confusing the doctor.

"I'm sorry, Colonel, but I don't follow," Malfatto looked at Shisui. Shisui could see his reflection in the lenses of Malfatto's mask.

" _I_ killed this man, Malfatto. The thing is, there's no way he should have died. My Dragon Slayer Magic has never killed anyone before; especially not in this manner," Shisui looked at the body on the table, his anger growing the longer he looked.

"Don't do this to yourself, Colonel," Malfatto began, sighing at the sight of the body. "I know how hard it is to have killed someone, especially when it's unintentional, but this will not be the last time you have to kill. The Kingdom is at war with these Gangs, and the added threat from Alvarez to the West makes things more stressful. Worry not, for I shall examine the body thoroughly and get back to you with my findings. It's likely the cause of death was simply an unfortunate happenstance, and it wasn't your fault," Malfatto placed a gloved hand on Shisui's shoulder and looked at him.

"You're right, Malfatto, but that doesn't make it any easier…" Shisui muttered.

"Of course it doesn't, sir. Look, not only am I a Medical Examiner, I also happen to specialise in Human Psychology. I was taught everything I know by the Kingdom's previous Medical Examiner, Dr. Donald Mallard. He was perhaps the greatest doctor the Kingdom has seen in generations. Anyway, my point is, should you need to talk about anything, come find me. My door, or rather my tent, is always open to Military Personnel, and you are no exception, Colonel," Malfatto stated.

"Thank you, Malfatto. While I should be able to deal with this myself, I'll keep that generous offer in mind. If you'll excuse me, I must be off. Sergeant Abberline is waiting for me," Shisui shook Malfatto's hand before leaving the doctor to his work.

"Now then, what secrets do you have to tell me?" Malfatto asked the body. Even though he knew the body couldn't physically speak, he knew that the body itself had many different ways of talking; a very important lesson that he had learned from Dr. Mallard.

* * *

"Ah, good afternoon, Colonel! How did the… Ahem, 'hunt' go?" Abberline asked with a smirk.

"Hmph, very funny. I found the huntress you told me about, and she's agreed to teach me how to use a bow and arrow, but she will only teach me every second day. On my way back to Mercurius, I ran into some of Freed's followers, and things got… Complicated," Shisui explained.

"Complicated how? What happened Colonel?" Abberline looked at his commanding officer with concern.

"That's not important now. After we're done here, I'll confer with Major Armstrong about a squad meeting tomorrow morning; I'll explain everything there," Shisui stated before changing the subject. "Now, what did you want to talk to me about? Something relating to 'The Ripper' case?"

"Oh, yes! Well, I was going over the notes and I found something most disturbing about how he deals with his victims," Abberline handed his notebook over to Shisui who began reading the Sergeant's notes.

"The Serial Murderer of Blackchurch, coined as 'The Ripper', has been extensively investigated by myself for several months. The first victim, a woman who was later identified as Mary Ann Nichols, was found in an alley in Blackchurch in the early hours of the morning. Dr. Malfatto performed an examination at the scene and the victims described wounds are as follows; two deep lacerations to the throat, both cuts going from left to right, mutilated abdomen with a single, deep, jagged wound, several cuts to the right side of her abdomen, caused by a blade approximately six to eight inches in length and was used in a violent, downwards motion. Dr. Malfatto commented that the amount of blood revealed that the victim was most certainly killed at the crime scene, and the cause of death was exsanguination due to a slashed throat. Death would have been instantaneous, but that is little comfort for anyone involved," Shisui finished reading the first page of notes and looked up at the Sergeant.

"Keep reading, it get far more disturbing, but that's what makes it so interesting," Abberline commented, getting an odd look from Shisui.

"I'm sorry… 'Interesting'?" Shisui raised an eyebrow at Abberline.

"Interesting in the psychological sense," Abberline commented, scratching the back of his head sheepishly.

"Uh-huh… The second victim of 'The Ripper' was killed eight days later, also in Blackchurch, and was also a woman known as Annie Chapman. The state of her body was far more disturbing than that of Miss Nichols. At first, I didn't believe the two murders were connected, until a preliminary examination of the body was performed by Dr. Malfatto. Once again, the throat was cut from left to right and the abdomen was violently sliced with a blade approximately six to eight inches in length. For whatever reason 'The Ripper' didn't stop there. This time, he disembowelled his victim, her intestines thrown out over her abdomen over each of her shoulders. For some bizarre reason, the victim's uterus had been removed. Dr. Malfatto concluded that, due to the victim's swollen face and protruding tongue, she had been asphyxiated prior to her throat being cut. The lack of a blood trail clearly pointed to the fact the victim was killed at the scene and her body hadn't been moved," Shisui snapped the book shut and gave it back to the Sergeant.

"Your thoughts, Colonel?" Abberline asked.

"This man is a truly evil individual. Not even the monsters I've vanquished have been so depraved as he is. I'll read more of your notes at another time, but I'm starting to get the picture. However, why did you want to share this information with me, Sergeant?" Shisui looked at Abberline as he pocketed his notebook.

"Because I need your help. Currently, there have been four victims, and the third one he began to taunt us," Abberline replied.

"Taunted how?" Shisui leaned against the wall of the room the two men were in.

"The third victim, Elizabeth Stride, 'The Ripper' sent us a package a few days after her death and inside was half of the victim's kidney, preserved in a specimen jar," Abberline shuddered, remembering the shock he received upon seeing the contents of the package.

"Only half? What happened to the rest of it?" Shisui asked, even though he didn't really want the Sergeant to answer it.

"Dr. Malfatto examined the organ and the tissue from it and concluded…" Abberline began before trailing off.

"Sergeant?" Shisui spoke up, getting Abberline's attention.

"Well, he ate it, Colonel. 'The Ripper' removed the poor woman's kidney, ate half of it and sent the other half to us," Abberline half-shouted, surprising Shisui.

"That… That's disgusting," Shisui commented. There was little else for him to say.

"I know, and that's why I hope we catch this son of a bitch before he kills again!" Abberline growled, clenching his fists in anger.

"We'll get him, Sergeant. I promise you that. Now, I have one last question for you; what's his connection to the Crypt Kings?" Shisui placed a hand on Abberline's shoulder in an attempt to reassure him.

"That is something I haven't figured out, sir. Perhaps it's a simple case of mutual benefit. He works with the Crypt Kings and they let him run free and kill as he pleases, and the Crypt Kings have a tool that instils fear into the people, forcing them to bend to their will," Abberline suggested.

"I can see that being a logical thought. We'll find out why when we take the Crypt Kings down. Ideally, we'd find out sooner, but as long as we get our answers, it doesn't matter how we get them," Shisui stated. "Now, I need to go find Major Armstrong. I'll have him arrange a squad meeting first thing tomorrow morning, and I'd be very happy if the Second Lieutenant would actually show up for once,"

"Ah, yes… The Lieutenant is… Well, he just does what he likes, but his skillset makes him an invaluable asset to the taskforce, which you'll see one day," Abberline replied as Shisui walked out of the room.

"Yes, and will I see him before then, I wonder?" Shisui muttered as he walked off down the hallway through the palace.

"Excuse me, Colonel!" Arcadios called out as he saw Shisui wandering the halls.

"Oh, what now?" Shisui muttered as he turned around and saw Arcadios approach him. "Yes, Lieutenant?"

"Colonel, His Majesty wishes to see you. He says he has something important to talk to you about," Arcadios responded.

"I suppose it can't wait then…" Shisui sighed. "Alright, I'll go see the King, and I want you to go find Major Armstrong, tell him that I want a squad meeting arranged for first thing tomorrow morning. There are a few things we need to discuss,"

"By your command, sir," Arcadios saluted before he marched off to fulfil his Colonel's orders while Shisui went in the opposite direction, towards the Throne Room.

* * *

"Good evening, Colonel. How are things going?" King Toma asked as Shisui entered the Royal Throne Room.

"Things could certainly be better, but I shall not burden you with the details. How can I be of service, Your Majesty?" Shisui asked.

"Ah, yes, well… I have a special task for you to undertake for me. This is incredibly important to me, and I decided you would be the best fit for the job, given your skillset," Toma began, coughing in a somewhat nervous manner.

"I am yours to command, sire. What is it you request of me?" Shisui asked blankly.

"Now, I know this might be far beneath your worth, but I cannot think of someone else who'd be better for the task," Toma responded, practically repeating what he had just said.

"You're repeating yourself, Your Majesty. Just tell me what it is. Who am I to refuse the King of Fiore?" Shisui looked up at Toma, who chuckled slightly before letting out a deep breath.

"I want you to be the personal bodyguard for my daughters," Toma declared.

"Huh?" Shisui responded, not sure if he heard correctly.

"You heard; I want you to keep an eye on my daughters whenever they venture out of the palace. Crocus is not as safe as it once was, and since 'The Ripper' has become more prominent with his attacks, I fear he might start targeting the Royal Imperial District, meaning my daughters might be at risk," Toma explained.

"I see… Now, I'm not refusing to do as you command, Your Highness, but why me? Wouldn't Arcadios be just as suitable?" Shisui replied, trying to understand the King's reasoning.

"Well, in all honesty, he is already doing that for little Hisui, but…" Toma sighed. "I don't know, he seems to keep Rena at arm's length, almost refusing to acknowledge her. I don't understand why…"

' _I have a pretty good idea why…'_ Shisui thought, putting all the pieces together at that very moment. "So, in other words, you want me to look after Rena?"

"In a word, yes. Your primary duty will be to watch over Rena, but that will extend to Hisui if the pair of them want to leave Mercurius. Arcadios will accompany you wherever Hisui goes, so you won't always be alone," Toma clarified.

' _I'm not the one who you need to worry about being alone,'_ Shisui looked down at the floor, suddenly feeling annoyed. He knew he'd have to speak with Arcadios about this matter when he saw him next. Perhaps after the meeting tomorrow.

"Colonel?" Toma's voice broke Shisui out of his thoughts as he looked up at the King.

"Yes, sir?" Shisui asked.

"Is everything alright? Are you having doubts about this assignment?" Toma looked at Shisui with a raised eyebrow.

"Not at all, it'll just be challenging to deal with the city's gang issue, and keep watch over your daughters at the same time. It's nothing I can't handle, but progress might be hampered ever so slightly," Shisui stated.

"Ah, that's a nonissue, Colonel. Major Armstrong can handle the bulk of the work for you while you're busy. He's already said he'll be more than happy to undertake some of your workload for you," Toma stated with a smile.

"Wait, the Major already knows about this? Huh, that explains why I haven't seen him since this morning. Alright then, looks like I don't have anything to worry about," Shisui shrugged.

"Marvellous! I hope you can start immediately, because Rena and my wife wish to head into the markets tomorrow morning while Hisui is being tutored. It'll be your job to watch over them and keep them safe," Toma stated with a tone of complete seriousness.

"Absolutely, I intend on having a squad meeting in the morning, but that'll be at sunrise, I'll have plenty of time to do both, Your Majesty," Shisui responded.

"Very good! Perhaps you can go and see Rena and tell her now. I'm sure she'll be pleased to have someone watching over her when she's up and about," Toma nodded with satisfaction at the suggestion.

"Yes, I suppose I should, shouldn't I? It wouldn't be fair to simply drop this on both her and the Queen in the morning. I assume Her Majesty is already aware of this?" Shisui looked at the King, who nodded in response.

"Indeed, my wife and I discussed this at length yesterday; she agrees you'll be the perfect candidate for the job," Toma smiled reassuringly.

"Very well, I will take my leave then. I'll go inform the Princess of this change," Shisui bowed to the King before he left the Throne Room and began to make his way to see Rena.

* * *

"Goddamn it, I'm lost. If only this place have giant maps with a 'You Are Here' marker; navigating this giant palace would be so much easier if they did," Shisui sighed as he wandered around the great halls of Mercurius, trying to find Princess Rena.

He had left the Throne Room almost fifteen minutes ago and was somewhere on the fifth floor. Other than that, he had no idea where he was and he was starting to get annoyed.

Mercurius had large halls that joined on to other hallways and passages. It was built like this so that if intruders ever broke into the palace, they'd get lost and would be easily apprehended when the Royal Guard went looking for them. When Shisui was told that he immediately thought about where he had heard that before.

Wrapped up in his thoughts as he aimlessly wandered the halls, Shisui could hear the faint sound of music being played somewhere down the hallway. At the very least, Shisui could find the origin of the music, he'd be able to get someone to show him to Rena's room.

The closer Shisui got to the sound of the music, he began to hear a very faint voice. Whoever was playing the music was also singing. Shisui was still too far away to hear the words, but he knew it was a girl's voice.

"Hold on, I know that voice… Huh, didn't take her for a musician," Shisui muttered as the singing got clearer. It was Rena.

Carrying on down the hall, Shisui finally found Rena's room, and was about to announce his presence but stopped himself when he heard what Rena was singing.

 _Humanity is purged,_

 _From everyone I'm passing by,_

 _Corruption to the core,_

 _Forever close the door._

 _Violence ascend,_

 _Rage and fury takes control,_

 _Passion is enhanced,_

 _At my very touch,_

 _Oooooh…_

 _Angels crying,_

 _Hope is dying,_

 _Faith will crumble,_

 _And turn to dust._

 _Heavens fading,_

 _Darkness shading,_

 _Faith will crumble,_

 _And to turn to dust…_

 _Turn to dust,_

 _Turn to dust,_

 _Turn to dust…_

Shisui stood at the door, hidden in the shadows, as he listened to Rena play the piano and sing. He took this opportunity to get a good look at the girl Rena was, the _real_ Rena; not the Princess. Just from those few minutes, plus the few interactions he had with her over the past week, everything was starting to make sense. He knew he was far from understanding who Rena K. Fiore was, but he was starting to get a good idea.

Once Rena had finished playing, she closed the piano and stood up before yawning and stretching. She was surprised when she heard a knock on her door.

"Yes?" Rena looked over to the door and saw Shisui step out of the shadows and into the light. "Oh, it's you Colonel. Uhh, how long have you been standing there?"

"Long enough. You have some real talent," Shisui stated, pointing to the piano.

"Oh, thank you. I always play the piano before I go to bed," Rena responded.

"Bed? But it's barely past eight," Shisui looked at Rena, then realised she wasn't kidding.

Rena was wearing a white gown made of silk that went all the way down to her ankles. Her long red hair was left hanging freely, reaching the lower part of her back.

"Yes, I am aware of that. I'm not a soldier like you," Rena stated as she walked over to her bed before stopping. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that…"

"I know; you need not apologise. I simply came here to inform you that His Majesty has requested I am to undertake a new role as your personal bodyguard. He tells me you and the Queen wish to visit the market tomorrow. I shall be accompanying you both," Shisui stated, looking past Rena and outside the window.

"Ah, I see… That's fine with me. I hope you want be as rude as that Arcadios though. I don't know what his problem is, but he doesn't like me," Rena muttered, a light scowl forming on her face.

"It's alright, milady… You don't need to worry about a thing. My job is to simply provide protection for you, not judge you based on other people's actions. However, I can have a few words with Arcadios about the matter if you like? I _am_ his commanding officer," Shisui shrugged.

"Oh, no, that won't be necessary. If you're going to be the one watching out for me from now on, then I have no complaints," Rena smiled as she walked over to her bed.

"As you wish, milady, I'll let you get some sleep. Goodnight," Shisui bowed before he left the room and closed the door behind him.

* * *

 **A/N; Alright, now we're starting to get into the story properly. We know who most of the big players are in the Gangs of Crocus and soon Shisui and his team will start making a play to take them down. But don't think it's going to be simple. There will be a lot of challenges they'll have to overcome along the way, which will all be revealed in due time.**

 **Here's a fun fact, the notes Shisui was reading on 'The Ripper' about the victims… They're real. I managed to source coroner's notes from 1888 about the victims that Jack 'The Ripper' killed. Everything you read from the names of the victims to how they died is all real. Kinda makes it all the more fucked up, doesn't it? That was my way to introduce more violent and gory aspects to this Fic, as it's going to get dark and violent down the line.**

 **But, yeah, that's all for today, so I hope you enjoyed this Chapter. Gold Stars to those who found all the pop-culture references in this Chapter and the last one. On that note… Captain Ravenheart. To get a good idea of what she's like, think of her like this; the character model of Ais Wallenstein from Danmachi, but with the temperament of Halibel from Bleach. That's just the best way I can explain her in simple terms.**


	7. Paving The Way

Chapter Seven – Paving The Way

The following morning, at the request of Shisui, and the orders of Major Armstrong, all the members of the taskforce had gathered for an important meeting… Except the Second Lieutenant, who Shisui had yet to actually meet.

"May I ask what's going on, Colonel? Major Armstrong only told me that you had called for an important meeting first thing this morning," Sergeant Abberline asked, stifling a yawn.

"There are several things I want to discuss with you all, but I don't have a lot of time, so I'll be quick," Shisui stated as he stood up and looked at the other officers in the room. "His Majesty has given me a temporary reassignment, to be the personal guard for Princess Rena. Since this will take up most of my time for the foreseeable future, Major Armstrong will be taking charge, but will be relaying my orders to you all," Shisui looked around the room, and noticed Arcadios had taken an interest at the mention of Rena.

"Yes, and don't worry; the Colonel will still be involved in any and all ongoing operations we will be conducting in the future," Armstrong declared, nodding at Shisui.

"Right, moving on…" Shisui continued, before being interrupted.

"Pardon me, sir, but what's the rush? Surely this is something that needs to be discussed in detail," Abberline looked at Shisui with confusion.

"Normally, yes, but I'm afraid the Princess and the Queen are wanting to visit the market this morning, and I can't keep them waiting," Shisui waved a dismissive hand. "Alright, next point of business, and this is an important one. I think we need to start finding a way to conceal our identity when out in public,"

"What, why?" Ophelia asked, narrowing her eyes inquisitively. "Something happened yesterday, didn't it?"

"Hmm, looks like nothing can get past you, Captain… You're right, after I was on my way back to the palace, I ran into some of Freed's followers in the West End District, harassing someone. As an Officer of the Royal Fiore Army, I have a duty of care to the citizens of the Kingdom, so I stepped in and tried to stop the people from hurting the man they were harassing. One thing led to another, I got into a fight with them… And I accidentally killed two of them,"

Upon hearing Shisui had killed two people, the room went silent for what seemed like an eternity. Everyone present was looking at Shisui, all with different looks. Shock, confusion, worry… Pride.

"I get it, you're worried about Freed coming after you and you wish to hide," Ophelia stated with a small grin.

"Bullshit. I couldn't care less if Freed comes after me, or if he sends his Pergrandian dog to do it for him. It'll save us time trying to track him down and eliminate him," Shisui snapped, surprising everyone with his blunt response.

"Then why do you feel the need to conceal our identity, Colonel?" Abberline asked.

"It's simple, Sergeant. Tell me, do you have family members your close to? Parents, siblings, maybe even a wife and kids?" Shisui looked at Abberline, who nodded in confirmation. "Right, now imagine you apprehended some of Freed's men who were very important to him, it wouldn't be hard for him to target your friends and family as retribution. I don't really have that to worry about, as no-one outside of this room and the Royal Family know of my allegiance, and you'd have to be stupid to want to try and find a dragon and attack it,"

"Hmm, the Colonel is right, I fear. A man like Freed Sellzen is capable of almost anything, and I'd very much like to keep my family safe from harm," Major Armstrong muttered, stroking his moustache.

"Hmph, and just how do you plan to go about this? Shall we start wearing cloths and act like some sort of vigilante group?" Ophelia scoffed.

"Close, I was thinking more along the lines of full face masks. Tempered and forged by a blacksmith so that it fits our faces perfectly, and can be an extra bit of protection if in battle," Shisui explained, returning the Captain's hard stare.

"That might be easier said than done, sir… We currently have no-one capable of filling such an order. The Army's blacksmith has taken extended leave to be with his wife, who has become seriously ill as of late. There are no other experienced hands in Crocus," Arcadios stated with a frown.

"That shouldn't be a problem. Major, I'll explain more about that when I return this afternoon, as I expect you to handle this matter," Shisui looked at the Major, who nodded in agreement.

"As you wish, Colonel," Armstrong replied before being interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Yes, Doctor?" Shisui called out, followed by the door opening to reveal Malfatto, the Royal Army's Head Medical Examiner.

"How does he do that?" Arcadios whispered to Abberline, who merely shrugged his shoulders.

"I apologise for the interruption, but the Colonel asked me to come here first thing with the autopsy report," Malfatto bowed to the officers, his voice muffled by his own mask.

"Proceed, Doctor…" Shisui beckoned, allowing Malfatto to enter the room to address everyone.

"Ahem, well… Based on what the Colonel told me about his Magic, and the findings from my examination of the body, something is seriously wrong," Malfatto began, getting everyone's attention.

"What do you mean, Doctor?" Arcadios asked, trying to figure out the doctor's demeanour, due to his face being obscured by his mask.

"Allow me to explain, Lieutenant… The Colonel told me his magic is Shadow Magic. Non-lethal for the most part, unless you're actually trying to kill someone. Now, I've seen people use Shadow Magic in the past, obviously it's far different to the Colonel's, but that still doesn't explain what I found when I cut the body open. Somehow, it appears the man's internal organs simply… Liquefied. Further examination showed the cells of the organ tissue had been ravaged by something on a cellular level, essentially rotting the tissue and turning the man's insides into goo," Malfatto finished delivering his report to the officers, who all had looks of surprise etched on their faces.

"'Ravaged by something on a cellular level'? Do you mean this was some kind of poison that killed this man?" Abberline asked, trying to comprehend what he was hearing.

"No, that's the bizarre part. When I said the organ tissue had rotted away, I mean it literally rotted; as if it aged several hundred years in mere moments. I have never seen anything quite like it," Malfatto responded, flicking through his notes.

"What the hell kind of magic can cause such a thing?" Ophelia muttered, staring at Shisui as if he knew the answer.

"Don't look at me like that, I'm just as confused as the rest of you," Shisui pointed at Ophelia, who simply held her hands up. "Look, I don't have time to sit here and play detective, I need to be off; Her Majesty and Princess Rena will be wanting to leave for the market soon,"

"Isn't that your job, Arcadios?" Armstrong asked after Shisui had left the room, followed by Malfatto.

"No, sir. My duty of care is to Princess Hisui, the _true_ Princess of Fiore," Arcadios replied sternly.

"Ugh, when will you get over that, Lieutenant? Princess Rena is as much a Princess of Fiore as Princess Hisui, whether you like it or not," Ophelia snapped as she stood up and left the room, slamming the door behind her.

"She's got a point, Lieutenant. You're an Officer of the Royal Fiore Army first and foremost; any feelings you may or may not have for Princess Rena, or the Royal Family as a whole, are unprofessional and can prove to be fatal," Major Armstrong commented. "Come along, Sergeant, I want you to assist me with the task the Colonel has given me,"

Both Sergeant Abberline and Major Armstrong left Arcadios alone in the room, who simply sat there and thought about what he had just been told. After a few moments, Arcadios also left the room to begin completing his own duties for the day.

* * *

As Shisui made his way across the palace to meet both the Queen and Princess Rena, he turned a corner and saw the King walking down the hall with another short man by his side. The man in question looked to be a few years older than the King. He walked with a slight hunch with his hands clasped behind his back. He had large ears and eyebrows that had the uncanny resemblance to a pair of hammers, and he had a scar on the left side of his face, just under the eye and reached over his nose. He was wearing a dark cap over his head and a long brown robe with golden accents while a simple pair of brown shoes completed the outfit.

The man had a serious look on his face, as did the King, and as Shisui walked towards the pair, he knew they were discussing something very important.

"Please, Your Majesty, you must reconsider! Who knows what will happen should our enemies get their hands on those machines. The people of this city could very well be put at risk!" The man pleaded with the King.

"Perhaps you are right, Minister, but Major Armstrong and Lieutenant Arcadios assure me that the machines have been placed in secret locations across the city, with only those on the Taskforce having knowledge of their whereabouts. I have faith that the Major knows what he is doing," Toma responded with a heavy sigh.

"But sire, you must understand; these were machines designed for _war_! I understand your hesitation to properly decommission them, but with the state Crocus is in at the hands of these gangs, I know you don't want another Neftin Prog situation. That was a simple battle suit. What we're talking about are fully operational vehicles of destruction. The entire city could be destroyed by them!" The Minister explained.

"I understand your concerns, Darton, but until the threat from Alvarez is no more, I cannot – nay, will not – decommission those machines. They shall remain under lock and key, and that is final," Toma stated, causing the man now known as Darton to sigh and bow his head.

"As you wish, Your Majesty," Darton muttered.

"What's this about war machines?" Shisui asked as he passed the two men in the corridor.

"Good lord, Shisui! Where on earth did you come from?!" Toma gasped, only now realising he and Darton were not alone.

"I've always been here, sir. I'm on my way to take Her Majesty and Princess Rena to the market," Shisui replied, sounding confused.

"No, boy, the King asked where you came from. You were not here a second ago. It's as if you appeared out of thin air. Speak!" Darton snapped.

"Oh, really? Huh, I must have inadvertently blended with the shadows on the wall, making myself invisible. My apologies," Shisui muttered with a shrug, bowing to the King.

"Invisibility? Preposterous! Just who _are_ you?!" Darton shouted, pointing an inquisitive finger at Shisui.

"Please, Minister, calm down. You remember I was telling you about our new Colonel, yes? Shisui Karasuma, meet Defence Minister Darton. Darton, this is Colonel Shisui Karasuma; a Wizard from Fairy Tail," Toma explained as he introduced the two men.

"Oh… Oh! I remember now, yes! Forgive me, Colonel. I am under a lot of pressure lately, what with all these gangs seizing control of the city," Darton proffered a hand, which Shisui grabbed and shook firmly.

"Think nothing of it, Minister. I would, however, ask His Majesty to keep my ties to Fairy Tail on a strictly 'need to know' basis. The last thing I want is the whole city knowing. It could make my friends in the Guild a target," Shisui replied quietly, worried someone might have been eavesdropping.

"Of course, of course, say no more! I completely understand; especially after what happened in the West End District yesterday. You certainly do have an air of efficiency about you, don't you?" Toma nodded with an impressed look on his face.

"I'm sorry, sir?" Shisui asked, his body starting to tingle with worry.

"The way you handled those rapscallions who were harassing one of my subjects. You eliminated two of them without much effort at all. I knew you be a good choice for Colonel and Commander of the Taskforce!" Toma laughed as he gently smacked Shisui's forearm. He would had slapped him over the shoulder, but unfortunately the height difference was just too much.

"I'm sorry, Your Highness, but those deaths were an accident. I did not intend on taking their lives," Shisui muttered.

"Is that so? Well, it certainly has the city talking. Some of my men tell me the citizens are talking about a soldier who will finally crush the upstart gangs and return the city to its former glory!" Darton responded, regarding Shisui with a curious look.

"That's all well and good, Minister, but that also means Freed and the other Gang Leaders will be aware of my presence. I cannot allow harm to come to those I call friend and ally. I understand that I will need to systematically eliminate each individual, but that doesn't mean I enjoy it," Shisui returned Darton's look with a hard stare.

"Well, my advice would be to simply harden your heart and your resolve, because if you play this right, you'll become a powerful entity within Fiore. One that will not only give Alvarez pause for thought, but other nations who think we are weak as well," Darton stated.

"Ah, that reminds me. You suggested when we first met that we change the insignia of Fiore and the nation's motto, yes? Have you had any ideas on that? Anything fearsome?" Toma asked eagerly.

"I'm afraid not, sire. The moment I have something, I'll let you know. Now, if you'll excuse me, your wife and Princess Rena are waiting for me. I will take my leave now; good day, gentlemen," Shisui bowed to the two men before turning and marching off down the corridor in the direction Toma and Darton had come from.

"You have a lot of faith in the boy, Your Majesty," Darton muttered as the two men watched the young Colonel walk off.

"Absolutely. I knew from the moment I saw him he would be the difference maker; our 'Ace in the Hole', if you will. If he can crush these gangs, maybe Alvarez will back off on their threats to destroy our nation," Toma responded.

* * *

Shortly after his conversation with the King and Defence Minister Darton, Shisui arrived in the Main Hall of Mercurius, where he saw Princess Rena and the Queen waiting for him.

"Good morning, Colonel. I'm pleased you were able to make it in such a timely manner," Rena bowed her head to Shisui, who returned the greeting.

"Good morning, Princess. I hope you and Her Majesty were not waiting long," Shisui looked first at Rena, before looking over at the Queen, who smiled at him.

"Not at all, my dear. Why, Rena and I arrived here moments before you did," The Queen replied softly.

Her Majesty, Queen Caterina E. Fiore, was an incredibly beautiful woman. She had long green hair and piercing dark green eyes. Hisui was the spitting image of the Queen; it was easy to tell the pair were mother and daughter, which further confirmed Shisui's theory that he had.

"Ah, very good. Shall we be off then? I assume the rest of your guard are waiting outside?" Shisui asked as he noted there were no other guards around, aside from him.

"No, no… You're the only one who will be accompanying us, Colonel. My husband and I thought it impractical to have an entire detachment of guards following us everywhere. If you'd like, I can summon an ally for you to work with," Caterina offered as she dug into her purse and removed a golden key.

"Wait, that's…" Shisui began, before the Queen confirmed his suspicions.

"Open! Gate of the Lion; Leo!" Caterina called out, before a bright flash of light filled the hall.

Moments later, the light had vanished, and in its place was a young man in a suit, bowing down before the Queen on one knee. He had bright orange hair that stuck up in places to resemble animal ears.

"You called, Your Majesty?" The man purred as he stood up and took the Queen's gloved hand before kissing it.

"Oh, Leo, behave!" Caterina scolded the man in a playful manner, a small smile on her face as she took her hand from his. "I have something I'd like you to do for me."

"Anything, Your Most Royal Highness," The man known as Leo nodded before getting down on one knee again.

"Leo, the man behind you is Colonel Shisui Karasuma. He is to be our escort while Rena and I go out to the market. I would like you to accompany him and watch over us, just for good measure," Caterina explained as Leo turned around to look at Shisui.

"Yo, what's up? Nice to meet you. The name's Leo; I'm the Leader of the Zodiac Spirits," Leo introduced himself before holding out his hand.

"So you _are_ a Celestial Spirit. You're the first one of the Zodiac Spirits I've actually met," Shisui replied, shaking Leo's hand.

"So, you and I are gonna play bodyguard to these two lovely ladies, huh? That's cool. I'm ready to go when you are," Leo smirked as he pushed his sunglasses up over his eyes before turning back to Caterina and Rena.

"I think we should be off then, don't you Rena?" Caterina asked as she held out an arm for Rena.

"Of course, but will you be alright, mother? Summoning Leo has always had a considerable effect on your stamina," Rena asked as she locked arms with Caterina.

"I'll be fine, my dear, don't worry. Colonel, Leo, if you'd be so kind?" Caterina turned to the two men who quickly made their way in front of the Queen and the Princess as they opened the palace doors and stepped outside into the morning sun, where a carriage was waiting to take them into the Royal Imperial District.

* * *

The morning had been fairly uneventful for Shisui, which was never a bad thing. The Queen and the Princess both fluttered around the district's markets, exploring the vast array of luxurious goods without a care in the world. Shisui and Leo, playing the part of Royal Guard stayed back and mostly out of sight. The main reason for such a decision was so they could keep a better watch over Caterina and Rena.

It wasn't uncommon for the Royal Family to head out into the Royal Imperial District, meaning the citizens didn't all clamour to see the Queen or Princess, but there were always a few who would stop and they to gain favour with the Queen and by extension, the King.

While Caterina and Rena were examining a store that sold perfumes, Shisui took the time to ask Leo something that he'd been wanting to know for a while.

"Leo, you said you're the leader of the Celestial Zodiac Spirits, right?" Shisui asked from his seat on a box in a nearby alleyway.

"Yeah, that's right. Why do you ask?" Leo responded, looking down his sunglasses at Shisui in curiosity.

"That got me thinking; you being the leader must mean you know of all the Celestial Spirits that exist, yeah?" Shisui reached into his pocket for the item he needed.

"Pretty much. Being the leader means the Spirits will come seek me for aid before going to –" Leo began but his train of thought was derailed upon seeing the black and red key Shisui had taken out of his coat.

"By the look on your face, it seems you know what this is," Shisui muttered, upon seeing Leo's shocked, and slightly terrified look.

"W-Where did you get t-that?" Leo whispered.

"I found this in a cave that was being use by a Dark Guild to store valuables they had stolen off other people and Wizards. Apparently this key, along with another, came from a Celestial Wizard. The people I've spoken to have no idea what it is. I was hoping to find an experienced Celestial Wizard who could tell me, but now I've met you, it seems you have the answers that I seek," Shisui stood up and held the key out to Leo, who backed away.

"No way, man! Keep that thing away from me!" Leo replied frantically, as he backed out of the alleyway, away from Shisui and the key. As he had been too focused on the key in Shisui's hand, he hadn't noticed the two men who were standing behind him, and as a result he bumped into them.

"Hey, watch it, Pretty Boy!" One of the men growled. Both Shisui and Leo immediately noted the large scar on the man's face.

"Sorry, man. I wasn't looking where I was going," Leo responded, holding his hands up in a form of surrender.

"Just ignore him, you fool. We are here to do a job, not get into fights with prissy little fashionistas," Scar-Face's companion growled, slapping him over the head.

"Fuck you! I know what we're doing, but I ain't gonna let some rich asshole treat me like shit!" Scar-Face snapped, glaring at his comrade.

"Ok, I see there's a lot of tension going on here, it may or may not be sexual, but I'm just gonna leave you guys to it. Later!" Leo waved as he wandered off, with Shisui following close behind. "Man, who put the stick up their ass? Whatever this 'job' of theirs is, it sounds like it's way too important for meatheads like those guys," Leo scoffed.

"Stop worrying about their job and focus on ours. Look, I'm not done interrogating you about those keys I found, so after we're done here, you and I are going to have a more in depth conversation about them, got it?" Shisui muttered as he paced the key back in his coat.

"Uhh, Shisui? I think I know what that job those guys are here for…" Leo muttered as he watched the pair of men walk into the marketplace.

"How can you know–?" Shisui looked up and over at the two men, who were now carrying knives and were heading straight for Caterina and Rena.

"Fuck," Leo and Shisui muttered before rushing off to play Guardian.

"Oh, Rena dear! What about this one?" Caterina called out as she picked up a bottle of expensive looking perfume and sprayed some on her wrist for Rena.

"Hmm, lilac and gooseberries. I think you'd suit that, mother," Rena responded with a smile, which quickly vanished when she saw a pair of shadows from out the corner of her eye.

As Rena turned, she noticed two things immediately; both men were carrying knives and were glaring right at her with vicious grins on their faces. Rena opened her mouth to call out and warn the Queen, but the cry died in her throat when she saw a bright flash of golden light, followed by a burst of darkness.

"Regulus Impact!" Leo yelled as he punched Scar-Face in the side of the head, sending him flying over the marketplace and into a nearby fruit stall, shocking everyone as Scar-Face crashed through it, destroying the stall and a large portion of goods.

The moment Leo had taken down Scar-Face, Shisui appeared in a plume of shadows, grabbing Scar-Face's companion by the collar and flinging him in the same direction Leo had sent Scar-Face. The result of the surprise attack had caused both assailants to be thrown into the same stall, and the pair had collided with each other, sending them into a daze.

By now, the marketplace was in panic. Everyone had seen Shisui and Leo attack the two men and couldn't understand why, until the saw the knives the two men were carrying.

"Oh, God! They're carrying knives! They tried to kill the Queen and the Princess! Someone get the guards!" One merchant yelled, which caused everyone to go into a frenzy, trying to escape the scene.

"Leo, what's going on? We're those men really trying to kill us?" Caterina asked as Leo took her hand and pulled her and Rena behind a nearby stall that was selling alcohol.

"I'm afraid so, Your Majesty. Please, you and Princess Rena stay here while Shisui and I deal with them," Leo responded, looking directly into Caterina's eyes. If his tone of voice wasn't serious enough, the look in the spirit's eyes certainly was.

"Go, Leo. Take them down," Caterina said with a note of seriousness, to which Leo nodded and leapt over the counter and into the fray.

"Leo, are the Queen and Princess safe?" Shisui asked as he saw Leo appear next to him.

"Yes, so long as we get rid of these guys, they'll be fine," Leo stated, twisting the ring on his left hand and making it glow gold again.

"Are those the Queen's orders? To get rid of them?" Shisui asked, looking at Leo, who nodded.

"Yeah, that's right. 'Take them down' were her exact words," Leo muttered gravely.

Shisui said nothing further and turned his attention to the two would-be assassins, who had just now picked themselves up from the broken stall and had their knives in hand.

"Son of a bitch! Just our luck that we bump into the only two people in Crocus who wanna play hero! Fine, you two can die first!" Scar-Face growled as he brandished his dagger at Shisui, who appeared unarmed.

"Hey, I hope you got something to fight with. I can feel your magic energy, so I hope your magic is strong enough to defeat them…" Leo muttered as he examined Shisui and reading his magic resonance.

"Yeah, it would be, but… Look, it's fine. I don't need my magic to fight these bumbling circus monkeys," Shisui replied as he spread his hands out and stretched his fingers.

"You intend on doing this unarmed? I don't know, man… They look like they know their way around a knife," Leo pointed to Scar-Face, who was spinning the handle of the knife around his hand before grabbing it. He was indeed an expert with a knife.

"Funny, I don't recall ever saying I was unarmed," Shisui looked at Leo with an odd look before flexing the muscles in his left arm, causing a black blade to shoot out from his wrist, seemingly out of nowhere, which surprised everyone, most of all Scar-Face.

"What?! You have one too?!" Scar-Face growled in disbelief.

"Huh? What are you talking about?" Scar-Face's ally looked at him quizzically.

Scar-Face said nothing to his companion, but shot him a look which said 'go get them'. His comrade needed no further explanation as he held his knife up and ran towards Leo and Shisui.

Before anyone could react, Leo dashed at the man and used the light from his ring as a barrier to block the knife that was coming at him from an overhead position, in a cheap attempt to cut him down.

With a small smirk, Leo charged up another orb of golden light in his free hand, which he then drove into the attacker's stomach, sending him back several feet. Unfortunately, Leo had been unable to wrest the knife from his opponent.

"Are you alright, Leo?" Shisui asked, watching the short exchange.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just don't– Uhh… Where's the other guy?" Leo asked, looking for Scar-Face, who had disappeared.

"Oh, you can't be serious. That's the oldest trick in the book. I'll sort it, you just focus on this guy," Shisui sighed before vanishing in a cloud of shadows.

* * *

"Heh, while Hardy is distracting those idiots, I'll go and end the lives of the Queen and the Princess! The Master will _have_ to acknowledge me then!" Scar-Face chuckled a he skulked behind some of the stalls, trying to sneak his way over to Caterina and Rena.

Allowing himself a quick look over the stall he was using for cover, Scar-Face saw Leo and Hardy clash, before his comrade was thrust back by Leo. Wasting no more time, Scar-Face rushed off to where he had seen Caterina and Rena get pulled to safety.

"Greetings, Your Most Royal Highnesses, it's a pleasure to meet you. I am going to be your executioner for today," Scar-Face grinned as he bowed in a sardonic manner before reaching into his jacket and removing a sharp, saw-toothed dagger.

"Who was it that sent you?" Caterina asked as she pulled Rena into a protective embrace.

"It matters not who sent me, all that you need to know is you have both been marked for death, and I have been graced with the opportunity to end you here and now," Scar-Face smiled wickedly as he licked one side of the dagger in an attempt to intimidate the Queen and the Princess. At this moment, Rena broke free of Caterina's embrace and stood up with a dull, empty look in her eyes, which were fixed on Scar-Face in a glare.

"Rena, what are you doing? Remember who you are…" Caterina whispered, but she was ignored by Rena.

"You think we are afraid of you? Ha, don't make me laugh! Hisui's tantrums are more terrifying than you!" Rena snapped, stunning Scar-Face with her blunt response and lack of fear. It was that precious second of pause that tipped the scales of the attack.

From out of the corner of his eye, Scar-Face saw small wisps of black and as he turned to see what it was, he received a solid kick to the face, courtesy of Shisui's boot, which exploded out of the blackness, along with the rest of his body, into the air in front of Scar-Face so his foot was directly in line with the assailant's face. The sheer force and suddenness of the attack had proved too much for Scar-Face to properly defend himself and he was swatted away like an insect and collided with a nearby wall, cracking it slightly.

"Good heavens, Colonel, that was quite the entrance," Caterina smiled brightly as Shisui approached her and Rena.

"Are you alright, Your Majesty? You and the Princess aren't hurt?" Shisui asked as he quickly examined the two ladies.

"We are fine, thanks to you," Rena muttered, her blue-grey eyes brightening significantly.

"Save your thanks for when you're safe at Mercurius, Princess. We are not finished here," Shisui stated before turning to face the direction he had booted Scar-Face, who was pulling himself up off the ground, still clearly dazed by the attack.

"You motherfucker! What kind of asshole are you? A fucking sneak attack?! You're pathetic!" Scar-Face spat, glaring at Shisui with hatred.

"Sir, please, there are ladies present; royal ladies at that. I'm going to request you refrain from such language while in their presence," Shisui replied, smirking at his successful attempt to anger Scar-Face even more.

"Ohhh, now you've done it. First I'm gonna kill you, then I'm gonna take my time cutting pieces off those 'ladies' of yours. I'm gonna enjoy making them scream," Scar-Face laughed sadistically as he raised his knife and pointed it at Shisui.

At the remark of torturing Rena and Caterina, Shisui's mood darkened considerably, as did the atmosphere. The sun had vanished behind a pillow of clouds and the shadows became darker, thicker and more prominent. Taking half a step back, Shisui spread his hands out with his palms facing his opponent and released both wrist blades.

' _Wait, those are… How did he get a hold of those?'_ Caterina wondered as she looked on in astonishment at Shisui's hidden weapons.

"As a sign of good faith, I shall give you some advice; surrender now and be tried as a criminal before His Majesty's Court, or you can proceed down your current path, where you shall be dealt with by me," Shisui stated, holding his arms up in a combat-ready stance.

"Oh, I'm so scared!" Scar-Face cried in a mocking tone. "If you think some kid is gonna stop me then you're dead wrong. 'Dead' being the key word."

"Very well, then I should warn you to mind where you step, for you are now standing in a proverbial minefield," Shisui muttered as he reached down and tapped the ground with a finger, sending a black ripple pulsating throughout the area.

Scar-Face simply scoffed at Shisui and failed to heed his warning. Cautiously, he stepped forward and began his advance towards Shisui. After getting no more than five yards, Scar-Face took one more step and blinked, only to find Shisui was no longer standing in front of the Queen or the Princess.

With no time to even process what had happened, Scar-Face cried out in pain as he felt a searing pain in his right shoulder. Placing a hand to where the pain had originated from, he found the area to be warm and wet, which he discovered was caused by his own blood.

What Scar-Face hadn't realised is with a single tap, Shisui had combined his Shadow Magic with all the shadows in the immediate vicinity, which would allow him to immediately pull himself to his opponent's location whenever he stepped on a shadow. When Scar-Face had done exactly that, Shisui had been able to materialise behind him and stab Scar-Face through the shoulder with one of his wrist blades.

"I warned you…" Shisui whispered as he turned the man around, grabbed him by the throat and choke slammed him through a stall, effectively snapping the thing in half.

"Damn, that looked like it hurt!" Leo commented as he approached Shisui and the now unconscious Scar-Face.

"Oh, Leo. I take it you managed to deal with your man," Shisui responded nonchalantly.

"Hmm? Yeah, it wasn't too hard. A quick couple hits to stun him followed by a roundhouse kick to the face. I may or may not have knocked a few teeth out though. How are the Queen and the Princess?" Leo turned to look at Caterina and Rena.

"A little shaken up, but otherwise unharmed. That being said, I believe Princess Rena has been somewhat frightened by the attempt on her life and that of the Queen's. I suggest we return to the palace immediately; His Majesty needs to know about this attack," Shisui explained as he and Leo made their way over to the ladies in question, with Shisui tearing off a rag of cloth from the broken stall to wipe the blood off his blade.

"Are you alright, milady?" Leo asked, bowing down on one knee.

"We are both fine, Leo, thank you. However, I would very much like to return home. I've had far too much excitement for one day," Caterina said with a slight chuckle.

"As you wish, Your Highness," Leo nodded before standing up and began to escort the Queen and Rena back to Mercurius.

"Where in the hell do you think you're going? I'm not finished yet!" Scar-Face growled as he pulled himself up out of the wreckage of what used to be a clothing stall.

"Oh, for fuck sake…" Shisui muttered as he shook his head before turning around to face the stubborn fool. "What are you going to do? I shattered your right shoulder blade when I stabbed you. Look at you, you can barely stand and that arm is completely useless. Take this as a victory and just get out of here!"

"Never! I will complete my mission, or die trying!" Scar-Face yelled defiantly, putting the knife in his mouth and started to run at Shisui.

"Then you have made your bed. Now you can sleep in it," Shisui stated calmly as he took three steps forward, engaged his wrist blade again, crouched to avoid the wild attack by the desperate attacker before driving the blade through the man's chin and directly into his brain.

Death was instantaneous. That was the final mercy Shisui gave him. He had given Scar-Face the chance to walk away with his life, and he refused to take it. Now, he had no life to walk away with as Shisui removed his blade from the man's head and watched as his body crumpled to the floor, a small pool of blood starting to form around him.

For what seemed like hours, nobody moved. Leo, Caterina, and Rena all stood there and witnessed Shisui kill someone like it was as natural to him as walking, talking, or breathing. In the air was silence, no-one daring to breathe, let alone speak, until Shisui crouched down and began to search the body.

"What are you doing?" Leo asked, taking off his sunglasses to make sure he wasn't seeing things.

"Checking the body for any clues as to who sent these men. You heard him; he was on a mission to kill the Queen and the Princess. No-one just decides to commit regicide; they are ordered to," Shisui responded whilst turning out the man's pockets, but finding nothing.

"Shisui, come on, man… We can do this later. We need to return to Mercurius," Leo stated with a note of anxiousness, looking around in case there were more killers waiting in the shadows.

"Leo, come here," Shisui ordered, beckoning the Celestial Spirit to his side. "This mark, I assume you've seen it before?"

"Yeah, I've seen it before… This man was a member of the Blackchurch Crypt Kings," Leo muttered, examining the mark on the man's left arm.

"Well that answers one question, but leads to so many others…" Shisui muttered as he stood up. "Right, let's return to Mercurius. I'll need to inform Major Armstrong about this as well."

* * *

After Caterina and Rena were escorted back to the Palace, Leo had returned the the Celestial Spirit World and Shisui had gone off to inform Major Armstrong of what happened, who in turn, informed the King. Shisui, however, did not stick around. He had an important task to complete, and Shisui did not procrastinate.

He did, however, check to see if Rena was alright. She had been badly shaken up by the assassination attempt, but insisted she was fine. She decided to retire to her room and get some sleep, but not before regarding Shisui with a curious look as he walked off.

Several minutes after leaving the palace, Shisui had entered a large building that was the Crocus Library. This library, however, was strictly off-limits to the public. This library was for high-ranking officers of the Fiore Army and other important members of the kingdom's advisors and government officials. This library was home to Fiore's most extensive collection of information. This library was Fiore's Akashic Records.

"Wow… This place is incredible," Shisui muttered as he entered the library.

The Library itself was massive. It seemed bigger inside than it did outside and the walls were covered with shelves that were packed with books of all kinds. Shisui, on the other hand, knew what he was looking for. As he stepped into the middle of a circle that had been tiled into the floor, he was surrounded by a black sphere, before a golden light began to shine in front of him. After a few seconds a woman appeared out of the light.

The woman was wearing a long white dress that was tied up over her right shoulder. She wore a set of bracelets on her right hand and rings on her left. Atop her head was a strange headdress that looked the Pope's hat, and on her bare shoulder sat an owl, looking directly at Shisui.

"Greeting, Colonel. I am the entity of Fiore's Akashic Records. You may address me as Athena. How my I assist you?" Athena spoke, her face remaining emotionless.

The woman was nothing more than a holographic projection. A form of illusion magic that made the Akashic Records that much more spectacular. It was fully interactive with people, and saved time by providing books and information upon command.

"Athena… I require information on certain people. Is that something you can help me with?" Shisui asked, a little perturbed about the idea of talking to someone who wasn't even real.

"Of course. I can provide you with information on anyone, provided the knowledge is within the books in this library," Athena responded, waving an arm around her to signify the shelves of books that were in the library, hidden from view by the black barrier she and Shisui were encompassed in.

"Alright, let's start simple. What can you tell me about Sergeant Frederick Abberline?" Shisui asked, trying to see just how impressive this Athena really was.

"Frederick George Abberline; known as 'Fresh-Faced Freddie' by his colleagues upon joining the Army for his energetic and 'by the book' approach to his job. Born January 8th in the year X754. A Sergeant in the Royal Fiore Army, and the Head of the Crocus Law Enforcement Division. He specialises in Perception Magic; a unique form of magic that allows him to observe certain scenes then analyse them as if he was a witness. It was for this reason he was appointed as the Head of the Law Enforcement Division. Under his tenure, crime in the city had dropped by thirty-five point seven percent prior to the gangs rising up in the outer districts of the city. He has a mother and father who still reside in Crocus, but no wife of children to speak of," Athena summed up everything she knew, bringing up birth certificates, newspaper articles and the Fiore Army's Personnel Files.

"Incredible… Do you have any information on a man known as 'The Ripper'?" Shisui asked, hoping that Athena's incredible knowledge would help him uncover the killer's identity.

"All I have are news articles that were published after the man known as 'The Ripper' became infamous. I have no information that can lead to the man's identity. I'm sorry, Colonel," Athena frowned as she shook her head.

"Damn… Alright, what do you know about the Leader of the Cult of the Damned; a man known as Freed Sellzen?" Shisui asked.

"I am afraid I only have a small source of information for that person. Would you like me to show you anyway?" Athena asked as the owl on her shoulder spread its wings, ready to fly off.

"Proceed," Shisui ordered, and at the command, the owl flew off with it returning moments later.

"Freed Sellzen. Date and Place of Birth are unknown. He is the leader of the Cult of the Damned; currently occupying the West End District. He is one of Crocus' Most Wanted. His crimes consist of murder, kidnapping and human trafficking, torture, blackmail and extortion, and terrorism," Athena stated as she read out the information her owl had fetched for her.

"Alright, what about this Pergrandian known as Shahkulu? Have you got anything on him?" Shisui asked.

"Yes, I have quite a bit on him. Shahkulu was one of the Royal Guardsmen of the late King of Pergrande; King Bayek III. Shahkulu ended up murdering his King before fleeing the kingdom, and has since been branded a renegade by the Pergrandians. They are actively seeking his immediate capture and subsequent return to their kingdom to face execution," Athena said before immediately pulling up an image of the man from a warrant of arrest, issued by the Pergrande Kingdom.

The man known as Shahkulu was a ghost. He wore a full face mask and helmet and dark brown and red vestments, accented by gold. The mask hid everything but his dark orange eyes that were full of malice. Shisui assumed the helmet and mask were part of the Pergrandian Royal Guard's uniform. Judging by the picture, it was apparent that Shahkulu preferred to use a spear and katar over traditional weapons. Perhaps these were the primary tools of war Pergrandians used?

"Hmm… That armour is too thick for bullets, let alone arrows. If I want to take him down, I'll need to get in close… Alright, then perhaps you'll have information on the one known as 'Lord Indra'?" Shisui asked, hopeful that Athena would be able to help shed light on who this individual was.

"I'm afraid I have nothing that directly relates to such a being. Would you like me to search the records for anything that might contain the name 'Indra'?" Athena asked, a slight frown on her face.

"Yes, I need to know where this Indra fits into Sellzen's plans," Shisui responded before Athena vanished for a moment before returning with just two articles of information.

"This is all I could find that contain the name 'Indra'," Athena stated as she waved a hand and brought the two articles of information up around the entirety of the barrier for Shisui to examine.

The first piece was titled _'Gods of Pergrande; A Compendium on the Deities Worshipped in the Far East'_. That was enough for Shisui to draw several ideas together, but when he looked at the second piece, it grabbed his attention.

"Athena, remove everything from the 'Gods of Pergrande', but keep the second piece for me," Shisui commanded, and with a wave of her hand, Athena had removed everything the first article was displaying, leaving only the second one.

Upon closer inspection, he realised he knew this work. It was the same book he had seen Levy reading back at the Guild Hall in Magnolia. ' _Tales of the Ancients; A Collection of Stories on Mythical Beasts and Ancient Monsters'_.

He flicked through everything but still couldn't find where Indra was mentioned. Starting to grow impatient, he asked Athena to remove everything that didn't have the word 'Indra' in it. After that, he was left with only one page, and it was exactly what he was looking for.

"'A beast of cataclysmic power, capable of erasing mountains from the landscape and draining entire oceans of water, only the God King Indra is said to be able to control such a hellish demon of unstoppable power. This beast, being a suspected creature from the farthest depths of the Underworld, gains its power and subsequent immortality from the people who worship it as both a demon and a creature that can only be controlled by the God King Indra'… What the hell kind of creature is this, and why can only a God control it?" Shisui muttered as he scanned the page for a name. When his eyes found it, the name made his blood run cold.

 _Dagon._

* * *

The following morning, Shisui found himself sat under a tree in the forest to the West of Crocus, awaiting the arrival of the young girl known only as 'The Huntress', who had agreed to teach him how to use a bow and arrow effectively.

Shisui hadn't been there long, but now that he was completely alone, his thoughts began to drift back to yesterday afternoon, after he left Athena and the library which housed her…

" _Major?! Major, we must talk!" Shisui called out as he entered Major Armstrong's office, while the large man was buried in paperwork._

" _What's the matter, Colonel? You sound incredibly distressed," Armstrong asked as he stood up, removing his thin framed glasses._

" _I know what Sellzen and the Cult of the Damned are up to. We cannot let them resurrect Indra," Shisui blurted out as he slammed the door behind him._

" _Wait, you found out who this Indra is? Marvellous! Who is he?" Armstrong asked, clapping his large hands together._

" _He's the King of Gods in Pergrande. They aim to resurrect him to use his power to control a hellish monster of pure evil," Shisui responded, seeing the smile fall of the Major's face, and being replaced by a serious look._

" _Normally, I'd think this were a joke, but I know you're not the sort of person for jokes, Shisui, even if you are only seventeen. Please, tell me what you know," Armstrong sat down, and beckoned for Shisui to do the same._

" _According to some information I have found, it's believed that Indra has the ability to control a demon known as the Dagon. If pure evil had a physical form, this would be it. It's an immortal being that draws power from malice and the devotion of its worshippers, and by extension, those who worship Indra. Let me put it this way, Major; the dragon who raised me, Skiadrum, he told me stories of the Dagon when I was a child. One of the most powerful dragons in existence went up against this creature and still couldn't take it down. This was no mere horror story either, Major. The tone of voice Skiadrum used when he spoke of it… He was afraid. Everything he told me was fact, like he had borne witness to the event himself. He very well could have, given the fact he's a dragon, who can live for centuries," Shisui stated, seeing the Major's face contort into a look of worry._

" _Then what do you propose?" Armstrong asked after a few moments of silence._

" _I want to focus all our efforts on taking down Freed, Shahkulu, and the Cult of the Damned. I have a feeling this is Shahkulu's doing. He's a Pergrandian renegade, and further research into Indra revealed that worship of him in the Pergrande Kingdom was banned centuries ago. I believe that Shahkulu was able to manipulate Sellzen into believing Indra had the power to control this beast, meaning if he could summon Indra, he'd have control over evil incarnate._ That _is what Sellzen and his gang want. No…_ That _is what Shahkulu wants._ He _is the true leader of the Cult of the Damned,_ not _Sellzen," Shisui slammed his hand on the Major's desk after putting all the pieces together right there._

" _I see… Very well, I'll start making arrangements to shift our focus over to taking down the Cult of the Damned. I'll inform Captain Ravenheart of these developments. She'll–" Armstrong began, before being interrupted._

" _No, don't. Captain Ravenheart already has a personal vendetta against Sellzen and Shahkulu. If she finds out Shahkulu is really in charge, and the true nature of their plans, I'm certain she'll rush in and try to take them both down, and that's suicide. No, for now, we say nothing. This stays between us, understood?" Shisui said firmly._

" _I understand, sir," Armstrong nodded._

" _Oh, one more thing before I take my leave. Prepare to leave tomorrow afternoon. We are in need of a top class blacksmith for the army, and I know just the man. Bring Sergeant Abberline too. But that's all. I don't want to force the man into enlisting. This is not his fight and he should only join if that's what he wants to do, understood?" Shisui asked as he stood up._

" _Yes, sir. I'll inform Sergeant Abberline and we'll be ready to leave on your command," Armstrong stood up and saluted as Shisui nodded and left the Major's office._

* * *

"Hmm… Maybe I jumped the gun a little bit with the Major yesterday…" Shisui muttered as he sat under the tree. "What would Shahkulu have to gain from all of this? He sounds like nothing more than a madman who stumbled across Indra back in Pergrande. Is all of this really the work of some religious fanatic?"

"Talking to yourself, I see. You know, they say that's a sign of madness," A female voice teased from behind the tree Shisui was sat under.

"Oh, good, you're finally here. I was wondering when you'd show up," Shisui replied, not at all surprised by the sudden appearance of 'The Huntress'.

"Wow, nothing surprises you, does it?" The Huntress responded, slightly surprised.

"Well, I _did_ hear you coming. Kinda hard to be surprised by someone who I know was there," Shisui stood up and looked above him to a large branch that the Huntress was sat on. He noticed her right eye was covered by a blue light.

"Huh… Your heartrate is normal, as is your breathing… Looks like you're telling the truth after all," The Huntress murmured as she pushed herself off the branch and landed on the floor of the forest.

"How can you know my heartrate and breathing patterns?" Shisui asked, raising an eyebrow, noticing that strange blue light was coming from a small, triangular device that was in her ear.

"With this," The Huntress pointed to the device she was wearing.

"And what is 'this'?" Shisui asked, sighing slightly.

"Where I come from, it's called a 'Focus'. A magic tool that allows me to locate a target's weak points and track their vitals. Here, take it," She pulled the device out of her ear and gave it to Shisui. "Be careful, putting it on for the first time hurts like a bitch."

Shisui carefully placed the device up to his ear before it got took close and pulled itself onto him, shocking him in the process.

"Argh, fuck!" Shisui grimaced as the burning pain from the shock hit him, but was over after a few seconds. "Alright, how does it work?"

"Just tap it. Once you completely figure out how it works, you'll be able to utilise it without even touching it. It works by analysing your brainwaves, so the more you use it, the more attuned you'll become," The Huntress explained as she removed what appeared to be a second Focus from her quiver that was hanging at her waist.

"You have two of these?" Shisui raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, I took them from my father before I left home. Best parting gift I ever took," The Huntress muttered with a smirk. "However, now you have one, that should help me identify you, but just in case… Hold out your arm – doesn't matter which."

"Ok, what are you–?" Shisui asked as he removed his bracer and rolled up the sleeve of his jacket's right arm while she removed something from her quiver that looked like a Light Pen and began to draw something on Shisui's arm.

"There. Now I'll know you're exactly who you say you are," The Huntress smiled as she put the pen away after spending a few minutes drawing on Shisui's arm.

"You wanna tell me what you just did?" Shisui looked at his arm and saw nothing there.

"Give it a moment… You'll see," The Huntress replied as she kept a hold of Shisui's arm, watching it closely.

Sure enough, after a few moments a marking began to slowly appear on Shisui's arm. It was as if it was drawn on using a form of special ink that only shows what was drawn when it begins to dry.

"I take it you're familiar with this kind of thing. Being a Wizard yourself, I'm sure you're a part of a Wizarding Guild. Well, this pen is similar to the tools Guilds use to brand their emblems on their members. This tool just allows me to draw what I like. It's permanent too, which is cool," The Huntress stifled a laugh as Shisui yanked his arm from her and looked at the mark.

"You gave me a _permanent_ brand?! What's the matter with you?!" Shisui growled as he looked at the mark on his arm.

"Relax, it's just a tattoo. What's wrong with a tattoo?" The Huntress asked, as if what she did was perfectly normal.

"If I wanted a tattoo, I would have asked for one… What _is_ this?" Shisui asked, trying to make sense of what he was looking at.

The mark was very bizarre. It looked like a sword with a circular sawblade that had three stars arranged in a triangular position placed over it with a giant snake that was coiled around the sword and the sawblade.

"Oh, just something that I found in a book I was reading a couple years ago. I can't remember where it came from, but it's supposed to be a mark of some significance. Now it can be significant for us instead," The Huntress shrugged the question off nonchalantly.

"Right… So, back to what we're meant to be here for…" Shisui reminded her, causing the young girl to perk up.

"Oh! That's right, I almost forgot! One more thing. I want to show you something, and I have a feeling it'll be very useful to you at some point… Activate your Focus," The Huntress commanded as she activated her own.

Following her instruction, Shisui tapped his newly acquired Focus and all of the sudden several screens and pages appeared before him.

"Incredible… It's just like how Athena and the Akashic Records work…" Shisui muttered. "Is this some form of that Archive Magic I've heard about?"

"I guess you can say that. It has the ability to store everything you see, do, and interact with in there, so I suppose it's like that for those who can't use that type of Magic," The Huntress shrugged as she was tapping the air in front of her. "I want you to open the file on your Focus that's labelled 'Alpha Prime' for me."

"'Alpha Prime'…? Oh, I see it. How do I open it?" Shisui asked, feeling slightly dumb.

"Just hold your fingers over it and tap. Just like if you were using Archive Magic," The Huntress laughed at Shisui's inability to use the Focus.

Ignoring the mocking undertone of her laugh, Shisui tapped on the file labelled 'Alpha Prime' and when he did, he was greeted with a very curious picture.

"What is this…? It looks like a giant, metal animal," Shisui muttered, trying to figure out what he was looking at.

"Close enough. Where I come from, we call this beast a 'Thunderjaw'. A massive machine that is as fearsome as it is dangerous," The Huntress commented as she sat down at the base of the tree in the shade, beckoning Shisui to her side.

"Why are you showing me this? I don't understand," Shisui asked as he looked at the image of the Thunderjaw.

"I'm just showing you how to utilise the basics. See these things on its back and underbelly? Those canisters contain liquids that are susceptible to certain elements. The ones on its back are Blaze Canisters. Hit those with fire and it'll cause a mighty explosion and rain fire down until the liquid burns itself out. The ones on its underbelly are Freeze Canisters. Use anything cold, like ice, and it'll explode, freezing anything the liquid touches. See how it works now?"

"No, you misunderstand. Why do I need to know what this thing is or what it's weaknesses are?" Shisui rephrased his question.

"Call it a whim. I have a feeling that one of these days you'll need this information and when that day comes, you'll be grateful to me for showing you this stuff," The Huntress replied with a faint smirk.

"Right… So, what else can this thing do?" Shisui asked.

"Look at me, tell me what you see," The Huntress commanded.

When Shisui looked at her, the Focus scanned her and brought up a 3D hologram of her body, highlighting weaknesses that most, if not all humans had. Most of this Shisui was already aware of, such as piercing the heart could inflict a fatal wound that would result in death.

"Alright, now hold still. I'll show you what I'm seeing," The Huntress muttered as she linked her Focus to Shisui's and sent him a file. "Open that for me."

Shrugging, Shisui opened the file and saw he was looking at a 3D hologram of himself with some similarities to the hologram of The Huntress, except there were some notable differences.

Shisui's bone density was exceedingly higher than the Huntresses, meaning he could withstand far more physical trauma before his bones would break. His Ethernano levels were off the charts, while hers were almost non-existent. _That_ got Shisui's attention, but he decided to say nothing.

"You see it now, don't you? This tool will prove invaluable for examining an opponent, both biological and technological. It'll tell you everything you need to know, then it'll be down to you to decide how to deal with them," The Huntress stated.

"Alright, I'll admit this thing will be very helpful with my job as a Monster Hunter. And for other things too. Now, can we please get to why I'm _actually_ here?" Shisui muttered, a hint of impatience in his voice.

"Oh, yeah, alright. Take this," The Huntress stood up and handed Shisui her bow. "These are called Hardpoint Arrows. The heads are made from Palladium; a very dense metal, meaning–" The Huntress explained, before Shisui cut in.

"Meaning these arrows will cause catastrophic piercing damage, and could very well tear a limb off if hit in the right place," Shisui finished as he took the arrow, drew the bow and fired at a tree some two hundred yards away.

The arrow ripped through the air and impacted with the outside edge of the tree, tearing a large hunk of bark off the trunk.

"Huh, impressive shot. Have you used a bow and arrow before?" The Huntress looked at Shisui with a surprised look.

"No, I just have good vision. What else have you got?" Shisui lowered the bow and turned to look at his tutor.

"Alright, Mr. Impatient, I have something you might like…" The Huntress muttered as she reached into her quiver and removed another arrow.

* * *

A couple hours later, Shisui had arrived back at Mercurius and found Sergeant Abberline and Major Armstrong stood at the gates waiting for him.

"Good afternoon, Colonel! The Major tells me you have an important task for us?" Sergeant Abberline asked as Shisui approached the two officers.

"Indeed, I hope you packed a bag, because we'll be travelling to Magnolia Town," Shisui nodded.

"Magnolia Town? What's waiting for us there, sir?" Abberline asked, scratching his head in confusion.

"An asset. Now, are we ready to leave?" Shisui looked at the two men, who shifted uncomfortably under his gaze.

"Uhh, well sir… You never told us _where_ we were going, so we didn't know we'd need to bring anything," Major Armstrong explained, causing Shisui to sigh.

"Ahh, right… Ok that's my fault, and I apologise, gentlemen. Go make the necessary preparations and we'll meet back here in, say, fifteen minutes?" Shisui suggested, getting a nod from both men.

Without another word Shisui marched off, taking a shortcut through Mercurius to get to his quarters on the other side of the palace grounds.

"Colonel, could I have a moment of your time?" A voice called out to Shisui. When he turned around, he saw Rena coming down a flight of stairs.

"Of course, Princess; what did you need?" Shisui asked as Rena approached him.

"I just wanted to thank you for saving Mother and I from that man the other day. I have to say, you handled yourself very well and…" Rena trailed off, mumbling at the end.

"And what, Princess? Please, I don't have a lot of time. Say what's on your mind," Shisui responded.

"Alright, well, you killed that man without a second thought," Rena stated.

"Yes, I did. You and Her Majesty were in danger. I wouldn't hesitate to kill anyone who tried to harm you," Shisui shrugged, an empty, hollow look in his eyes. Something which Rena noticed immediately.

"I assume you've killed before then? No-one would be able to kill someone so easily unless they've done it before," Rena responded.

"Sure, I've killed before. I'm a Monster Hunter. Killing creatures of Post-Conjunction origin is what I do," Shisui shrugged.

"No, I mean… Killing monsters is far different from killing people. Yet you handled yourself as if you've had experience in dealing death," Rena pressed, trying to figure Shisui out.

"Yes, I've killed two people before. But both were accidents. I didn't mean to kill them, but I knew they weren't going to be my last. People have to die for things to change, that's just the way things are," Shisui muttered. His words were truth, but Rena could tell he wasn't being completely honest with her.

"What are you hiding, Colonel? You have such a dark view of the world. It's unusual for someone your age to speak of death so casually. If I were to guess, I'd say you've experienced death first hand," Rena deduced.

"What do you want from me, Rena? You wanted to thank me for saving your life, not interrogate me," Shisui snapped, indicating to Rena that she definitely struck a nerve.

"I'm sorry, I just wanted to know what kind of man you are. If you are going to be my bodyguard, I need to know who you really are," Rena responded softly.

"My past has nothing to do with who I am now. I'm a Dragon Slayer and a Colonel in the Royal Fiore Army. That's all there is to it," Shisui replied.

"Take it from me; accidentally killing two people doesn't turn someone into a killer. _Killing_ someone does. Which means you must have killed someone before," Rena responded firmly.

"You want the truth?! Fine, the very first thing I killed was my dragon! Skiadrum raised me and taught me Dragon Slayer Magic, and how did I repay him?! I drove my sword into his heart and bathed in his blood; all for more power!" Shisui snapped, unsheathing his sword from his back and spearing it into the flagstones of the hall, leaving it stuck in the floor.

"I… I don't understand.; how does killing your dragon grant you more power?" Rena asked, slightly taken aback by Shisui's outburst.

"Dragon Slayers can amplify their powers by killing Dragons and soaking themselves in their blood. I wanted more power, so I killed Skiadrum. Don't tell me you're surprised, look at me! I'm a fucking walking armoury! I have this sword, several knives and these! If these weren't meant for stealth assassination, then the creator was a fucking moron!" Shisui shouted as he unsheathed his wrist blades and showed them to Rena.

"Stop, please…" Rena whispered softly as she placed her hands on one of Shisui's bracer, causing him to immediately relax his muscles and allow the blades to retract back into their sheathes so Rena wouldn't get cut by them. "I'm sorry I pushed you, Shisui. I didn't mean to hurt you,"

"No, it… It's fine, alright? I shouldn't have snapped at you; you're a Princess and it is my duty to protect you, along with the Royal Family. Forgive me," Shisui bowed his head.

"Please, don't apologise. I won't hold it against you," Rena smiled before she grabbed the hilt of Shisui's sword and tried to remove it from the flagstones, but found it impossible to move.

"Here, let me do it," Shisui said as he went to grab the hilt himself. As he reached for the sword, his gloved hand brushed against Rena's, his exposed fingers feeling her soft skin for a mere moment, and Rena felt the warmth of his hands as they touched.

"Sorry," Rena muttered as Shisui grabbed his sword and pulled it out of the flagstones with ease. "Wow, is your sword like Excalibur or something? Only you can remove it?"

"Well, it _is_ a magic sword," Shisui shrugged. "Here, hold it."

As Shisui handed the sword to Rena, she almost dropped the sword as it was placed in her hand. Were it not for Shisui, knowing such a thing would happen, grabbing both Rena's hand and his sword, the weapon would have crashed to the ground, possibly injuring the princess.

"What?! How is it so heavy? How can you swing something so heavy as if it weighs nothing?" Rena gasped as Shisui picked the blade up as if it weighed less than a feather.

"Like I said, it's a magic sword. It has Skiadrum's Shadow Dragon Slayer Magic and his scales imbued in the blade and tempered with his fire. Only a Shadow Dragon Slayer can wield this blade. And, watch this…" Shisui removed the glove on his right hand and sliced the blade over his skin.

"What are you–?!" Rena gasped, but her shock was replaced with surprise when she saw there was no wound.

"This blade cannot cut me. Try all you want, but this blade will never cut me. Makes it easier to maintain when you can't be cut by it," Shisui stated as he sheathed the blade and put his fingerless glove back on. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go make preparations for my journey to Magnolia Town. I'm told the Army is in need of a master blacksmith, and I know just the man. Major Armstrong and Sergeant Abberline will be waiting for me if I don't get moving now."

"Of course, Colonel. Once again, thank you for saving Mother and I. We'll never forget that," Rena bowed to Shisui.

"Yes, well… Tell your 'mother' that I was simply doing my job, and you need not thank me for that. Have a good day, Princess," Shisui waved a hand as he crossed the palace to his quarters, leaving Rena stunned.

' _What did he…? No, there's no way…'_ Rena thought as she watched Shisui walk off out of sight.

* * *

The following morning Shisui, Major Armstrong, and Sergeant Abberline all arrived at the gates of Magnolia Town. They had left Crocus yesterday afternoon and had spent the night travelling via carriage to Magnolia.

"Right, so remind me who we're looking for," Sergeant Abberline asked as he held a hand above his eyes to shield them from the early morning sun.

"Sergeant, I've told you three times now; we're in need of a blacksmith for the Army, and the Colonel says he knows a man who'd be perfect for the job," Armstrong commented as he climbed out of the carriage, his bald head shining in the sun.

"That's right, and you two are going to convince him to enlist," Shisui stated as he pulled up the hood on his jacket. "And when I say 'convince', I do not mean 'force'. The person in question is a good man and a good friend of mine. Plus I'm certain he's taller than the Major, so it would be unwise to intimidate him. But if the man is hesitant, just mention my name. That'll probably convince him."

"Okaaaaay, and what will you be doing, Colonel?" Abberline asked.

"I'll be conducting some business of my own. Not to worry, Freddie, you'll be fine if you do everything I said," Shisui commented as he walked through the gates of the town.

"Freddie?" Sergeant Abberline looked at the Major with confusion, who simply shrugged before following their commanding officer.

* * *

"Ugh, I'm booooooored! There's nothing to do," Natsu whinged as he sat down at a table in the Fairy Tail Guild hall, his face pressed down on said table.

"You're always complaining you're bored, Natsu. Why don't you take a job or something?" A small, blue cat with wings asked.

"Because all those jobs are boring, Happy! They're all far too easy and that makes them boring for me!" Natsu claimed.

"Uh-huh…" Happy mumbled while rolling his eyes, knowing everything Natsu had just said was a lie. "If those jobs are too easy, why don't you go and find Lisanna? She looooooves you!"

"Shut up, Happy! That's gonna get old really fast!" Natsu yelled as he tried to swat Happy away, but missed as Happy took off into the air with a mocking laugh.

"What's wrong with Mr. Grumpy over there?" Erza asked Gray, who was playing cards with Cana.

"Who, Natsu? I dunno. I think he's still sore over Laxus kicking his ass last week. Or Gildarts. Take your pick," Gray muttered as he threw down a card on the table.

"I still can't believe Natsu was dumb enough to challenge Gildarts. Has he already left on another job? I haven't seen him since he returned," Erza muttered, looking around.

"Yep. He left the following morning. Who knows when he'll be back?" Cana grumbled, throwing one of her cards on the table before giving a dry laugh. "Looks like I win again, Gray."

"What? How?! I had you that time!" Gray protested, looking at all the cards on the table, and realising that Cana had indeed won.

"Oh, look at that, Gray lost another game to Cana _and_ his pants in the process," Macao laughed as he downed more of his beer.

"Oh, come on! How did this happen?!" Gray yelled as he picked his pants up off the ground and put them on again.

"Looks like another day of chaos in the Guild Hall," Wakaba grinned as he watched all the usual commotion unfold from his seat at the bar.

"Speaking of chaos, where's Mirajane? I haven't seen her in a while," Macao asked, looking around the Guild Hall and taking note of the fact Mirajane was not present.

"I think Mira has locked herself in her room. I think she's taking the whole 'Penitent' thing hard," Erza explained as she approached the two men.

"Yeah, I can understand that. I don't know how I'd feel about having my soul sucked out by a spectre," Macao muttered.

"Has anyone actually seen her?" A voice behind the bar asked.

"Oh, Master. I didn't see you there," Erza acknowledged the appearance of Master Makarov. "I haven't seen her, but I think Lisanna is looking after her. I think she's up at Fairy Hills now."

"I see… And there's been no change in her ability to use Take-Over Magic?" Makarov asked.

"I don't think so. If there was, she'd have said something about it. I'm not sure what we can do to help," Erza replied.

"Hmm… I hear young Levy has been doing lots of research on this kind of thing. Has she made any progress?" Makarov looked up at Erza, before looking over to Levy, who was buried in books.

"I don't think so. I mean, she's trying, but this isn't her area of expertise. Laxus knows a bit about this stuff, but not very much. Plus he refuses to help, calling Mira a 'spoiled little brat'. He's not setting a good example of what an S-Class Wizard should stand for," Erza replied.

"Sounds like you intend on changing that one day," Macao said with a smirk.

"Of course I will. You think I won't?" Erza responded with a dark look.

"Not at all, but considering we currently have three S-Class Wizards in the Guild; two of them are currently out on jobs and Laxus just cares about the weight the title carries. It'll be good to see someone who understands the meaning of the title of 'S-Class'," Macao nodded approvingly.

"Hey, that's a little unfair, Macao. Just because Laxus doesn't follow the values of an S-Class Wizard doesn't mean Gildarts and Shisui are the same. Gildarts is powerful and a highly sought after Wizard. People are always requesting his services," Wakaba explained, placing his mug down on the bar top.

"Don't forget that Shisui has his own merits too. He's our expert on monsters and creatures from the Conjunction of the Spheres and a powerful Wizard in his own right. You'd be wise to remember that," Makarov opened one eye and looked at the two men.

"Hey, that begs the question; how _did_ Shisui become an S-Class Wizard. We just kinda assumed he became one the same way Laxus did; by defeating a powerful S-Class Post Conjunction monster," Macao asked after sharing a glance with Wakaba.

"Well, perhaps you should ask him when you see him again, but don't take it personally if he doesn't tell you," Makarov said with a serious look on his face.

As Macao and Wakaba looked at the Master, then to each other, the doors to the Guild Hall opened to reveal a familiar face.

"Speak of the Devil…" Makarov muttered with a smirk. "Welcome back Shisui!"

"Hey, good to see you again, Master," Shisui waved as he entered the building and approached the Master.

"It's nice to see you again. Did you find the answers you were looking for in Crocus?" Makarov asked as Shisui sat on a bar stool next to Macao.

"Uhh… About that… I'm gonna be away from the Guild for an extended period of time. I got a couple answers, but…" Shisui sighed, remembering his meeting with Crawford Starrick almost two weeks ago.

"You now have more questions than answers?" Makarov asked with a curious look.

"Yeah… According to this collector, the Lacrima I found is most likely that of the Nature Dragon, Shizen, but it's unconfirmed. Also, there was something else. Something that troubles me greatly," Shisui muttered, hiding his his mouth behind his hands.

"What would that be, my boy?" Makarov asked, growing more and more curious by the minute.

"Apparently, there's someone out there who has a Shadow Dragon Slayer Lacrima. A young boy, no older than seven years old," Shisui glanced at Makarov, who remained impassive.

"Alright, and why does that trouble you?" Makarov asked.

"Skiadrum was the last Shadow Dragon, meaning that Lacrima holds _his_ power. I should be in possession of that Lacrima. There's no way he'd siphon off his power into a Lacrima for someone else to use," Shisui sat up straight and stretched his arms out in front of him.

"Are you telling me you want to find this child and take the Lacrima from him?" Makarov asked, looking at Shisui with wide eyes.

"What? No, I just want to find out if the rumours are true and find out how the child came across the Lacrima. Not only that, but… I want to go and find other Dragon Slayer Lacrima. From what I've been told, there are so many out there; lost to the world. Astral, Poison, Spectral, Nature… Searching for those Lacrima and trying understand their origins… It might help me make sense of why Skiadrum and Igneel disappeared two years ago," Shisui explained.

While what he told Makarov wasn't a complete lie, it wasn't the complete truth either. Yes, he _did_ want to find more Dragon Slayer Lacrima and try to figure out why Skiadrum had vanished, which might also give Natsu the answers he wanted, but he also had his job of taking down the gangs corrupting Crocus; and that was a job none of the members of Fairy Tail could know about, more for their safety than anything.

"Hey, Shisui, what happened to your jacket, man?" Wakaba's question broke Shisui out of his thoughts.

"Huh? What about it?" Shisui asked before looking at his left arm.

' _Damn it, that's right. I tore the sleeve off when I erased my Guild Mark after 'The Ripper' killed that woman… I totally forgot about it. Luckily I remembered to put my Guild Mark back on before I returned,'_ Shisui thought before responding.

"Oh, it got torn when I was in Crocus. At the time, it was nothing but a hindrance, so I tore the whole thing off," Shisui shrugged, laughing slightly and hoping they would buy the lie.

"What did you get yourself into, Shisui?" Erza spoke up, practically demanding an answer.

"Oh, hey Erza. Nice to see you too," Shisui looked at the young redhead, smirking at her bluntness. "I got into a fight with some Royal Officers. It was just a case of 'wrong place, wrong time'."

As soon as the words left Shisui's mouth, he grimaced, knowing he shouldn't have said that.

"You fought some Royal Officers?! What the hell is wrong with you?!" Erza snapped.

"It wasn't like I did it on purpose. A little girl was running away from some woman and she attacked me. It was self-defence at best!" Shisui responded, defending his actions.

"So, you're telling me a woman attacked you because you tried helping a child? You expect me to believe that?" Erza raised an eyebrow disbelievingly.

"You would if you knew who the child was…" Shisui muttered.

"Really? Then why don't you enlighten us?" Erza raised her arms out, as if she were offering an invisible basket to Shisui.

By this point, everyone in the Guild Hall was now listening to Erza and Shisui's conversation; all were interested in knowing what compelled Shisui to battle some of the King's Guards.

"If you must know, it was Hisui E. Fiore; Princess of Fiore and daughter of King Toma E. Fiore…" Shisui responded.

At the mention of Princess Hisui and King Toma, the Guild Hall went silent; so silent that Shisui could hear the heartbeat of Erza, Macao, Wakaba, and Makarov; and all of their heartrates had spiked substantially over hearing the name of the Fiore Royal Family.

"Why do I completely believe that?" Gray muttered, getting a shrug from Cana.

"What, you've met Princess Hisui? Aww, that's so cool! I hear she's so adorable!" Levy exclaimed as she put her book down and took off her Wind-Reader Glasses.

"Well, she's only five, so I suppose you can call her that. She was definitely full of energy and trust; even to someone who she had just met," Shisui explained as he turned around to face everyone.

"Ok, maybe I can believe that. You _are_ a Wizard of Fairy Tail after all…" Erza muttered, crossing her arms across her chest.

"Oh, so you wouldn't believe it if I wasn't affiliated with the Guild? Nice to know you think so highly of me as a person, Erza," Shisui shook his head with a smirk on his face.

"That's not what I meant, you fool," Erza responded, shaking her head in return. It was unknown whether or not she knew Shisui was only joking.

"Never mind that! Stop holding out on us, Shisui! Tell us more about the Princess! Did the King reward you? I bet he gave you gold, or a home in Crocus; maybe even both!" Macao cried, imagining all the riches the King of Fiore would give to the person who saved his daughter.

"No, nothing like that. The only 'reward' I received was being able to leave the city with my head still attached to my shoulders. I didn't necessarily 'save' Princess Hisui, more or less defended her from what I perceived to be a threat. Needless to say, I was wrong," Shisui responded with a shrug.

Feeling slightly disappointed, Macao and Wakaba returned to their drinks and own conversation as Shisui sat at the bar with his head in his hand while the other tapped the bar pensively. Makarov was about to ask him if he wanted to talk when he noticed a small figure appear and approached Shisui.

"Umm… Sh-Shisui?" The small voice called out, barely louder than a whisper. Were it not for his excellent senses, Shisui never would have heard the voice.

"Hmm? Oh, it's you, Lisanna. Are you alright?" Shisui asked, noticing the youngest Strauss sibling looked somewhat distressed.

"C-Can I talk to you alone? I think I need your help with something," Lisanna muttered, prompting Shisui to get up off his chair at the bar.

"Yeah, sure. Lead the way," Shisui beckoned for Lisanna to go somewhere more private before they were interrupted.

"Ohhhh, Lisaaaaannnnnnaaaaaa! I have something to tell youuuuu!" Happy called out as he floated through the air and landed on her head. "Oh, heya Shisui. Long-time no see!"

"Hey, Happy. I take it you and Natsu are friends again? I remember the pair of you weren't on speaking terms for a while before I left. Did Natsu cave and offer to get you the fish you wanted?" Shisui asked as he looked over to the young Dragon Slayer, who was scowling at his cat before noticing a pair of eyes on him, causing him to pale slightly before turning away.

"Yep! Natsu might be a knuckle-head, but he cares deep down inside. Oooh, but Lisanna, I have something to tell you!" Happy chirped, tapping Lisanna's forehead with his tiny paws.

"Not now, Happy. I need to talk to Shisui. I'm sorry, but you can tell me later, okay?" Lisanna picked Happy up off her head before smiling at him.

"Aww, alright…" Happy sighed before Lisanna released him and he flew away across the Guild Hall.

"That cat is something else…" Shisui muttered as he watched Happy fly away. "Anyway, what did you want to talk to me about, Lisanna?"

"Can… Can you come with me, please?" Lisanna asked timidly before leading Shisui out of the Guild Hall, away from everyone else.

* * *

"Lisanna, what's going on? I take it this has something to do with Mirajane?" Shisui asked as Lisanna led him out of the Guild Hall and toward Fairy Hills.

"Well, yeah, but…" Lisanna muttered as they arrived at the large wrought-iron gates of the Fairy Hills Dormitory.

"But what? Has her condition deteriorated more since I've been gone?" Shisui asked.

To say that Shisui as worried about Mirajane wasn't a lie; she was a part of Fairy Tail too, but more importantly, she got hurt because she felt like she needed to prove a point to Shisui. Part of him felt he should have done more for her. Something to at least let her know he knew she had great potential to be strong one day.

Despite those thoughts, Shisui also knew Mirajane was a stubborn as they came. That's exactly why she and Erza always got into fights. The proverbial 'unstoppable force meets the immovable object'; both would clash, but others would get hurt.

"No… Well, I should say I don't know, because I haven't seen her in ages," Lisanna explained, confusing Shisui.

"What do you mean? I thought you'd have been looking after her," Shisui asked as they entered the dormitory.

"Well, I tried, but she's locked herself in her room. She refuses to come out and I've tried everything I can think of. Most days, I just turn into a little bird and sit on the windowsill outside her door. But she never comes out," Lisanna muttered, frowning.

"I see, and you think she'll listen to me? Look, Lisanna, I care about your sister – like I do everyone else in the Guild – but we both know she's as stubborn as all hell. She's just turned fourteen too, don't forget. This is her first birthday without your parents. Couple that with everything that's happened to her recently, and it's somewhat understandable," Shisui looked at Lisanna who nodded her head with a small frown upon her face.

Shisui was telling the truth; he _did_ care about Mirajane. Not just because she was a member of Fairy Tail, but because she was still young, and it was obvious to everyone in the Guild that she looked up to Shisui, although she'd be the last to admit it. Shisui took more of an interest with this situation _because_ of these facts.

Shisui knew that Mirajane, like Erza, had the potential to be an incredibly powerful Wizard one day, and it was primarily due to this fact that she felt she needed to prove herself to him. Whether it was merely to seek his approval, or prove to everyone she wasn't a helpless little girl, Shisui was not sure. But he knew that he was responsible for what happened to Mirajane.

It was because of the potential Mirajane had that Shisui expected great things from her. Maybe he expected too much of her, and she thought doing what she did would help her seek the approval she desired from Shisui. He couldn't be sure, and he knew that Mirajane would sooner become best friends with Erza than admit what she was thinking and feeling.

"Shisui?" Lisanna tugged on the sleeved arm of Shisui, breaking him from his thoughts. "Is everything alright?"

"Yes, it's fine. Look, don't worry; I'll talk to Mira. Well, I'll _try_ and talk to her," Shisui responded, causing Lisanna to nod before she knocked on the door in front of them, making Shisui realise they had arrived outside of Mirajane's room some time ago.

"Mira?! Are you in there?! I've brought someone who wants to talk to you!" Lisanna yelled as she banged on Mirajane's door.

"Go away!" Mirajane's muffled yell passed through the door, sounding very faint.

"Huh, well that's an improvement…" Lisanna muttered.

"How?" Shisui looked at Lisanna and raised an eyebrow.

"Normally she doesn't say anything," Lisanna replied. "You try. Maybe she knows it's you and that's what got her to say something?"

Shisui looked at Lisanna with curiosity before shrugging and began to knock gently on Mirajane's door.

"Mira? It's Shisui. I need you to open the door and let me in. I need to talk to you," Shisui spoke, his voice very clear, despite not shouting.

Several seconds passed in silence before Shisui heard movement coming from behind the door.

"N-No! I… I don't… Go away!" Mirajane shouted, this time her voice was considerably louder.

"I think she's close to the door… Did her response seem louder to you?" Shisui asked as he looked at Lisanna.

"Mhmm, I thought it sounded louder too. Keep trying!" Lisanna responded, hoping that they were on the verge of a breakthrough.

"Mira, please… Everyone in the Guild is worried about you… _I_ am worried about you. Just open the door and let me talk to you," Shisui pressed, hoping that Mirajane would give in and open the door.

"No! I don't want to see anyone! Just leave me alone!" Mirajane's muffled response came through the door again, this time quieter. She was definitely moving around her room.

"Lisanna, this isn't working. I don't have a lot of time, and I can't afford to stand here and play games with Mira. She doesn't want to see anyone, so we should just respect that," Shisui sighed as he saw a dejected look cross over Lisanna's face.

"Please, Shisui, you have to keep trying. No-one has gotten a response out of her since you left. Not even Erza's attempts to provoke her worked," Lisanna responded.

"Who's bright idea was that?" Shisui looked at the small girl with a raised eyebrow.

"I was desperate! I thought, if anything, Erza would get some sort of reaction out of her. You know how Mira feels about her," Lisanna shrugged.

"You have a point I suppose… Ok look, don't think any less of me for this but what if we tried more… Forceful means?" Shisui asked, causing Lisanna to look at him with confusion. " I force my way into her room and make her talk… Wow, that sounded better in my head."

"That… That might actually work. I know what you're trying to say, so I'll agree with you on this!" Lisanna replied with a large grin.

"Alright, hold on… Mira! I'm coming in! You're not going to hide in your room forever!" Shisui shouted as he pressed a hand on the door and turned into a liquid-like shadow, which wrapped around the door and seeped through the cracks onto the other side.

* * *

"Mira? I – What the hell is _that_?!" Shisui gasped as he returned to a solid form on the other side of the door and took a deep breath.

The moment Shisui had breathed in, his sinuses were assaulted with an incredibly foul odour. It was so bad it made him gag slightly. Now he knew why Mira sounded so panicked when he said he wanted to come in and talk to her.

When Lisanna said Mirajane hadn't left her room at all, she meant it. Literally.

Mirajane's room stank of stale air, body odour, tears and several other scents he couldn't quite discern. All in all, the smell was _awful_.

"Jesus, Mira… What's happened to you?" Shisui muttered as he took a deep breath and walked further into her room.

At a quick glance, Shisui saw a pile of dirty clothes on her floor and an un-made bed. Next to it, the room's window was open, with the curtains blowing slightly in the breeze from outside.

' _No, don't tell me she's…'_ Shisui thought to himself as he crossed the room and stopped at the window, but he never looked out of it.

"Were you trying to fool me, Mirajane?" Shisui muttered as he turned to the un-made bed next to him, the sheets balled up in a tiny little lump in the middle of the mattress… A tiny little lump that was _softly breathing_.

"No, I was…" A small voice spoke from underneath the sheets.

"Looks to me like you were, what else could you have been trying to do?" Shisui replied as he sat down on the edge of the bed, no more than a foot from Mirajane.

"Nothing. Why did you come here?" Mirajane asked, lifting the sheets up so her voice wasn't muffled any longer.

"I came to see you, obviously. What's happened to you, Mira? I've been gone for, what, a couple of weeks? Why are you hiding out in your room all day?" Shisui asked, trying to look into the little gap Mirajane had made, in an attempt to see her face, but when he moved to look, she immediately pulled the covers back down.

"Maybe I want to? Have you thought about that?" Mirajane replied, trying her best to sound annoyed, but her attempts failed miserably. To Shisui, she sounded like a young girl who had been caught doing something she shouldn't and was trying to deny it.

"Yes, actually, but I also know you've had a rough couple of weeks, especially since you just turned fourteen and it was your first birthday without your parents," Shisui responded in a somewhat blunt manner.

The response had caught Mirajane off-guard, she had no response to Shisui's statement.

"Do you not consider Fairy Tail your family? Are we not what you'd want as a family? I know none of us can be your mother or father, but that doesn't mean we care about you any less. Look at the Old Man, he considers every one of us his children, and he treats all of us the same. Even Laxus, and he's the Old Man's grandson. You aren't alone, Mira. You shouldn't need to feel such a way in the Guild. Here… This is for you," Shisui reached into his bag and pulled something out of it and held it in front of the sheets Mira had used to look out of a moment ago.

"What is it?" Mirajane asked.

"Come out from under there and see for yourself," Shisui replied.

Very slowly, Mirajane lifted up the covers again and looked out. This time, however, she was looking at something unexpected. She was looking at a stuffed animal; a little blackbird, to be exact.

"It's a bird?" Mirajane muttered, still hiding under her blanket.

"Yes, but it's for you. I'm sorry it's a little late, but Happy Birthday, Mira," Shisui spoke softly.

At those words, Mirajane slowly lifted back the covers and for the first time in two weeks, someone from the Guild had seen the elder Strauss sibling.

Shisui was inwardly surprised at the sight of Mirajane, but was able to supress his shock easily enough, knowing that Mirajane was embarrassed of how she looked.

To put it plainly, Mirajane was an absolute mess. Her hair was greasy and matted so badly, it'd take several bottles of conditioner and constant brushing to tidy it up. Her eyes were dull and bloodshot, meaning she had been crying, very recently too. Thankfully, she had some clothes on, which Shisui deduced that's what she had been stumbling about her room for when he arrived.

"Thank you…" Mirajane whispered as she took the little blackbird and held it close to her chest, a single tear escaping from her eyes.

"Don't cry, little one… Everything is going to be alright…" Shisui muttered, as he put a hand on Mirajane's head and stroked it softly. Her hair was incredibly dirty, but he didn't care. Right now, Mirajane needed someone to comfort her, and if that someone had to be him, then so be it.

"Why…?" Mirajane croaked, trying to stop herself from sobbing.

"Hmm, 'why' what?" Shisui asked as Mirajane laid her head down on his lap. ' _This must have been something she did with her father when he was still alive…_ ' Shisui thought as he watched the young girl lie down.

"Why do you go so far out of your way for me, and my brother and sister?" Mirajane muttered.

"Why? You're a part of the Guild. Like I said; we're all family. However, you know that you three are more special to me than the others. After all, it was I who saved your lives, remember?" Shisui responded as he looked out of the open window; a cool breeze blowing into the room.

Mirajane wanted to slap herself. How could she have forgotten? It was almost a year ago since she had met Shisui, and he was right; were it not for him, she and her siblings would be dead.

It happened a couple months after her thirteenth birthday. In the town she had lived in with her family, a malevolent demon had taken up residence in the local church. Several people who were adept Wizards has attempted to expel the demon from the church, but all of them had died. Among the victims were Mirajane's mother and father. Both of them had attempted to slay the Church Demon, but were ultimately killed by it.

The town elders decided to put a barrier up around the church, preventing it from being able to escape while they figured out how to deal with the monster. Mirajane, however, was wracked with heartbreak and a thirst for vengeance forced her way through the barrier, in secret, and into the church to fight the demon and avenge her parents.

Mirajane was the only person to go up against the Church Demon and survive, but the encounter had taken its toll. A few days after the encounter, Mirajane's right arm had changed. Unable to fix it, she tried her best to hide it from everyone, but was ultimately found out. Once the elders found out, they had her and her siblings locked up, deciding that they'll deal with them once the Church Demon had been eradicated.

A few days later, the town had sent out requests to several notable Guild Halls for assistance in dealing with this malevolent Church Demon, and one of them responded almost immediately. The following day, Shisui had arrived in the town to kill the demon. However, the townspeople couldn't have been more wrong about what the Church Demon was.

It wasn't a demon at all, it was a Katakan; a deadly breed of Vampire that had a strange obsession with alcohol and money. Two things the church had in droves. It wasn't the easiest task, but Shisui had killed the beast without sustaining any life-threatening injuries. Defeating the Katakan wasn't the hardest of his job that day. The hardest part was the decision he had to make following the kill.

After killing the Katakan, Shisui was presented with three children; two girls and a boy – the boy looking more terrified than the two girls. He was told one of them had been 'corrupted' by the beast and that she needed to be executed immediately, with her brother and sister for good measure.

Of course, Shisui took the matter very seriously; a Vampire of any breed is nothing to laugh at, and the risk of someone being turned by one is a very real danger, especially humans, who can turn into Higher Vampires, and they make Katakans look like kittens.

Looking at the girl, Shisui saw no immediate signs that she had been bitten by the Vampire, except for the weird mutation of her arm, but after learning it had been several days since she was attacked, he knew that she wasn't going to become a Vampire. The townspeople, however, were having none of it. They demanded Shisui execute the three of them on the spot, even going so far as to double his pay for the original task of killing the monster in the church.

Disgusted by their words and attempts at offering blood money, Shisui agreed to kill them, but on the condition that he would take them into the mountains, so that they can at least be buried and given the respect a human deserves. The townspeople agreed, but wanted an elder to go with them so he could prove they had been put down.

Shisui rejected this suggestion, instead opting to send them an eagle's feather, soaked in their blood – one for each kill. Knowing they had the ability to discern different types of blood, thanks to a bizarre form of magic used by an elder, the people agreed this would be sufficient and let Shisui take the three children to their deaths.

Shisui, however, had other plans. There was no way he was going to kill three innocent children, they were victims too. Even more so when he had been told they had lost their parents to the Katakan. He knew they were terrified, even though the eldest was putting on a brave face, so when he got into the mountains, he put his plan into action.

He removed his sword and stabbed it into the ground, the black blade shining dully in the sunlight, and pulled a smaller dagger with a blade as black as the sword's and told them to hold out their hands. At first, the children thought he had intended on cutting off one of their hands instead of killing them, but he assured them no harm would come to them. Shisui told them he was going to give them a new home, one where they would all be accepted and treated like family. As proof, he took his jacket off and showed them the black mark on his left arm.

Deciding to place their trust in Shisui, the children held out one of their hands, and Shisui quickly cut the palm of each one open, allowing the blood to flow before taking out three feathers and wiping them through the blood. After binding up their hands and taking the children with him, Shisui sent the three feathers back to the town, hoping no-one would figure out he tricked them.

Several months passed, and no-one had come looking for him, so he had assumed they fell for the trick. It took some time, but Mirajane, Elfman, and Lisanna all found their place in the Guild, and for the most part, were happy.

"Shisui…" Mirajane whispered, after a few minutes of silence.

"What's up?" Shisui asked, looking down at Mirajane, who was staring at the little blackbird he had given her.

"What happens if I can't use Take-Over Magic again?" Mirajane asked.

"I honestly don't know, but I have a feeling everything will be alright," Shisui responded.

"Why?" Mirajane spoke a single word.

"You still have a soul. It's very weak, but it's still there, meaning there's still a chance it'll return to normal. Take-Over Magic requires a soul to perform, and since you still have one, it's likely you're still able to do it, just not to the extent that you could before. I don't know if your soul will naturally regenerate over time by absorbing the ethernano particles in the air, but it's a start. Meanwhile, I'll try and figure out if there's anything I can do. Perhaps if I can understand Shizen's power, I might be able to do something," Shisui responded.

"Shizen? Who's that?" Mirajane turned and looked up at Shisui, her head still in his lap. Her eyes had brightened slightly, so that was a good sign.

"That Lacrima I found, I have reason to believe it holds the power of the Nature Dragon, Shizen. Touching it allowed me to see the souls of those around me temporarily, so perhaps there's a way to build on that, and do more than just see souls… Perhaps I can heal them too," Shisui stated, causing Mirajane to sit up.

"You can really do that?!" Mirajane cried, sounding excited.

"Hold on, let's not get ahead of ourselves. First I need to understand how Shizen's power works. Even then, it might not work. Her Nature powers could become corrupted by my Shadow powers. There's far too many variables at the moment to give you a definitive answer. I'm sorry," Shisui frowned, looking at Mirajane's bright eyes suddenly dulled again.

"I see…" Mirajane muttered, looking at her little blackbird.

"Look, I'm sorry, but I have to go. If I'm to figure out more about this Lacrima, among other things, I need to return to Crocus. However, before I leave, I want you to do something for me. Can you do that?" Shisui asked as he stood up and looked Mirajane in the eyes.

"What is it?" Mirajane asked, somewhat hesitantly.

"Don't hide away in here anymore. It's not good for you. I want you to carry on how you were before you encountered that Penitent, alright?" Shisui looked at Mirajane with a hard, serious stare.

"But what can I do without my powers? I can't go out on jobs or anything like that, and I know Erza will just rub it in my face. She's come here and shouted abuse at me several times since you left, and you have no idea how badly I wanted to punch that bitch in the face," Mirajane growled, scowling hard at the door.

"Then you ignore her, but I'm surprised you weren't able to see what Erza was trying to accomplish," Shisui looked at Mirajane, with a raised eyebrow.

"Was she trying to piss me off, because she definitely accomplished that," Mirajane snapped.

"No, child, she was trying to get you to come out of your room and back to your old self again," Shisui stated, making Mirajane's eyes widen slightly.

"Why would she do that?" Mirajane asked after a moment of silence.

"Isn't it obvious? She cares about you. This – locking yourself away because something bad happened – isn't you. Erza, no scratch that; _everyone_ is worried about you. Especially Lisanna and Elfman. You know Lisanna has been sat outside your room every single day since the incident with the Penitent?" Shisui explained, getting a small gasp from Mirajane.

"But why?" Mirajane repeated.

"She's your little sister! She and Elfman both look to you for guidance and support. How can you expect them not to worry about you and want to make sure you're ok?" Shisui cried, surprising Mirajane with the sudden rise in volume of his voice. "Look, just promise me you will no longer remain locked up in here."

"Alright, I promise," Mirajane said quietly.

"Good. Now, I have to get going," Shisui stated and walked towards the door, which was still locked.

"What?! You just got back! Where are you going?" Mirajane exclaimed, standing up.

"I told you; I have to return to Crocus. I intend to unravel the mystery of this Lacrima, and a few other things too…" Shisui muttered as he reached for the lock.

"Then I'll come with you!" Mirajane shouted.

"Absolutely not!" Shisui snapped, surprising Mirajane.

"Why not?!" Mirajane yelled.

"It's far too dangerous. Crocus… Crocus has changed, and not for the better. I refuse to let anyone in this Guild get hurt because they wanted to help me," Shisui muttered, letting his right arm drop to his side… But not before Mirajane caught a glimpse of something on his forearm.

"What's that?" Mirajane asked.

"What's what?" Shisui asked as he turned around.

"That thing on your right arm. It looked like the tip of a sword with something attached to it," Mirajane explained as she took a step closer to Shisui.

"It's nothing. You must be seeing things," Shisui said dismissively.

' _Fuck! How did she see that tattoo? I'll need to get something to cover that thing up. Argh, damn you, Huntress!'_ Shisui inwardly cursed his Archery tutor for her brash actions.

"No, I definitely saw it. Show me," Mirajane demanded.

"I don't have time for these games, Mira. There's nothing on my arm," Shisui responded firmly.

"Yes there is! I saw something there!" Mirajane shouted indignantly.

"Mirajane… There is _nothing_ on my right arm, ok? You've been locked in here for days; you're eyes are just playing tricks on you," Shisui stated, and before Mirajane could protest, Shisui disappeared into a cloud of shadows.

Shisui knew Mirajane would find out he had a tattoo one day, and when she did… She was going to be pissed at him for lying to her.

"Mirajane is fine, Lisanna. I took care of it.," Shisui stated as he took on a solid form on the other side of the door before marching off and giving Lisanna no chance to respond. "Tell everyone in the Guild that I'll see them later," Shisui waved before turning the corridor and vanishing from sight.

Lisanna, however, didn't need to respond. At that moment, she heard the lock on Mirajane's door turn and the door opened.

"Mira!" Lisanna cried happily as she leapt into her big sister's arms.

* * *

It was night-time by the time Shisui had returned to Crocus, along with Major Armstrong, and Sergeant Abberline.

Both men had been successful in recruiting the man Shisui had suggested to be the new Royal Blacksmith for the Army. That man was Andreas, the blacksmith from Magnolia Town who crafted all of Shisui's weapons and tools.

At first, Andreas had been hesitant; it's not every day two Officers from the Army show up at your doorstep and personally ask you to enlist. Fortunately for the Sergeant and the Major, Andreas had been more than happy to join the Army as the new Royal Blacksmith.

Since he had been willing to join, neither man had needed to use Shisui as a coercion tool, so when Andreas saw Shisui with both Abberline and Armstrong, he was very surprised. Shisui, however, spent the entire ride back to Crocus discussing the finer details of the position to Andreas, and telling him how he had gotten involved in military affairs.

Andreas simply laughed and explained how he wasn't surprised by the story. It was exactly how he expected Shisui to act.

Once they arrived at the palace, Shisui had Sergeant Abberline escort Andreas to both the forge, where he would be working, which also doubled as his quarters, which left both Shisui and the Major alone in the courtyard.

"What about you, sir? Will you also be retiring for the night?" Armstrong asked as Shisui walked towards the direction of the main doors to the palace.

"No, I need to find Her Majesty and ask her to summon her Celestial Spirit here for me. I have questions that only he can answer, it seems…" Shisui muttered as he pushed the doors open and marched inside.

Shisui hadn't even gotten five steps into the foyer before he felt a weight on his back and his face pressed against the flagstones. He had been tackled from behind by two guards.

"What is the meaning of this?! Let me go at once!" Shisui shouted, as he tried to struggle free.

"Not a chance. You are under arrest!" One of the guards snapped.

"Have you both gone mad?! He is the Colonel of the Fiore Royal Army! You release him at once, or the consequences will be most severe!" Armstrong boomed, cracking his knuckles as he approached the two guards, before he was stopped by another guard pointing a spear at him.

"I'm afraid that is impossible, Major. Not even your father's influence can save this man. The orders for his arrest come from the top," the guard with the spear explained.

"'From the top'?! What nonsense is this?! We have no General!" Armstrong yelled angrily.

"No, these orders come from Her Majesty Queen Caterina," the guard stated.

"The Queen?! Are you out of your mind?" Armstrong exclaimed. He felt like he was living in some sort of bizarre dream.

"What are the charges?!" Shisui growled, as the two guards cuffed him and dragged him to his feet.

"We have reason to believe you are not who you say you are," the guard with the spear stated, looking at Shisui.

"Excuse me? What the fuck is that supposed to mean?!" Shisui shouted, trying to break free from the grasp of the arresting guards.

"I shall explain it a different way then. We have reason to believe you are a rebel soldier from the Pergrande Kingdom, who is working with the Renegade Shahkulu to assassinate the Fiore Royal Family," the guard proclaimed.

Shisui couldn't believe what he was hearing. It was so ludicrous that he actually wanted to laugh. But he did not laugh. His response was far different.

"ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR FUCKING MIND?!" Shisui roared.

"Hold on, you're saying the Queen ordered his arrest?" Armstrong asked, placing a hand in between Shisui and the guardsman.

"Yes, sir. She told us she had solid evidence to prove this man is from Pergrande," the guard explained, pointing to Shisui.

"That can't be right; this man protected Princess Hisui without knowing who she was. He even protected Her Majesty and Princess Rena from an attack in the market just yesterday," Armstrong responded, sounding much more calmer, but very confused.

"It is as you say, sir. However, it was the method in which he dispatched the assailant that was the damning evidence," the guard replied, pointing to the wrist blade Shisui had on his left arm, not knowing there was a second on his right arm, hidden by his sleeve.

"What about them?" Armstrong asked, wondering what the guard was getting at.

"As I'm sure you're aware, Major, that tool is a Pergrandian War Blade. A dangerous tool used only by the Pergrande Royal Guard to quickly deal with anyone who could be a threat to their Royal Family. It's designed to kill cleanly and efficiently, and no-one outside the Pergrande Royal Guard has them," the guard stated.

"Oh, dear… This is most troublesome…" Armstrong muttered.

"If you have concerns, take them up with the Queen. Whether or not she'll entertain them is another thing, but we are just following orders. Take him to the dungeons," the guard commanded as he lowered his spear.

"Don't worry, Shisui! Everything will be alright!" Armstrong called out as the two soldiers escorted Shisui out of the palace, towards the barracks, and into the dungeons below…

* * *

 **A/N; Ok, this took way, way, waaaaaaaay longer than I'd have liked, or even wanted it to have taken. I have no excuse other than my laptop is a stupid piece of shit that likes to shut down and erase everything I've written (I think it has a virus, which would explain so much...). It's not the first time this has happened (as it's part of the reason I lost my motivation to do my Bleach Fanfic (I promise I'll get started on that again eventually, but not until I'm confident this story has a healthy length and people are enjoying it, so that might end up being early 2018, for those who are reading this because of that Fanfic)).**

 **When did I start this chapter? May? I don't know anymore. But I've had to retype everything at least seven times because of my fucking shitty laptop, and because of that, I totally lost my motivation (and I think parts of it a fucking crap, because I had them perfect, then lost them). As a way of an apology, this chapter was almost twice as long as my usual chapters, and I hope you all enjoyed it.**

 **Again, I am sorry for the delay. I feel terrible for making you guys wait so long for an update.**

 **Until next time.**


	8. Revelations

Chapter Eight – Revelations

"Goddamn it, let me out of this cell! I demand to see the King!" Shisui yelled, from his cell in the dungeon under the guard barracks.

"Be silent, rogue! You have no right to demand anything!" One of the jailers snapped.

"When I get out of here, I'm going to show you just how terrible Corporal Punishment is!" Shisui growled, slamming his shackled hands on the bars of his cell.

After being arrested and escorted to the dungeon, Shisui was stripped of his weapons and tossed in a cell until the Royal Court decided on a course of action. For good measure, due to Shisui being a Wizard, the guards had chained him up with special shackles made out of Dimeritium; a special ore that had the ability to nullify and drain magic powers. Shisui was by no means weak or defenceless, but he definitely wasn't in perfect condition for anything.

It had been several hours since Shisui had been thrown in the cell, on the orders of Queen Caterina, under the suspicion of being a spy from the Pergrande Kingdom, sent to assassinate the Fiore Royal Family. Why Caterina had given the order to have him arrested still eluded Shisui, but he intended on finding out… One way or another.

Shisui guessed it was early morning, meaning sooner or later, someone would come for him, and he'd be brought before the Royal Court for his 'trial'. Part of Shisui hoped Major Armstrong could do something to have him released, but considering it was the Queen who called for his arrest, Shisui know the good Major's hands were practically tied.

A few moments later, Shisui heard voices from the far end of the corridor, followed by heavy footsteps. He knew who had come for him.

"Good morning, Shisui. I have been instructed by His Majesty to escort you to the palace for your trial," Major Armstrong explained as he stood in front of Shisui, the bars of the cell between both men. "Sergeant Abberline, if you please?"

The Major motioned to Abberline, who stepped out from the shadows and unlocked his cell. Shisui could see the man was clearly distressed, and got very little sleep last night. Whether the distress was caused by him believing the allegations against Shisui or not, he couldn't tell.

"I'm afraid we'll have to keep those Dimeritium shackles on you, Shisui… It's standard protocol," Abberline muttered.

"Yes, fine… I'm not going to try and resist or anything. I am guilty of nothing," Shisui responded as he allowed himself to be escorted to the palace by both Major Armstrong, and Sergeant Abberline. None of the men spoke as they walked from the dungeon to the palace.

* * *

"This trial is hereby called to order! Defence Minister Darton will preside as Judge!" A bailiff announced, once everyone had been seated.

One one side of the room sat Shisui, Major Armstrong, and Sergeant Abberline. On the other side sat Captain Ravenheart, Arcadios, and the entire Royal Family. Whether Abberline was sat on Shisui's side because he believe him to be innocent, or if he was simply there to keep an eye on him was unclear, as the man had remained expressionless since unlocking Shisui's cell.

"Very well… Would the accused take to the stand?" Minister Darton looked over at Shisui with an impassive look as he watched Shisui do as he asked. "Shisui Karasuma, you stand accused of being an agent of the Pergrande Kingdom, sent here with the task of killing our Royal Family. What say you in your defence?"

"This is ridiculous! Your Majesty, why would I save you and Princess Rena from those thugs in the marketplace if I were sent here to kill you? Wouldn't it have been simpler to let them kill you instead?" Shisui asked the Queen.

"You will not address any member of the Royal Family! They are here only to observe!" Darton exclaimed, giving Shisui a hard stare.

' _If this is how the old man is going to act, I'm fucked…'_ Shisui sighed inwardly. "Alright, look. His Majesty already knows who I am, and where I come from. I have no intention of murdering anyone in the Royal Family. As for those wrist blades I have, I have a perfectly reasonable explanation for them…"

"Very well, explain to the court, how you came across weapons that only members of the Pergrandian Royal Guard are in possession of," Darton commanded. His tone had softened, but there was still an edge of distrust in the man's voice.

"Several months ago, I went out on a job to clear out a nest of Kikimores that had decided to make their home in an abandoned villa on the south coast of Fiore. While exploring the villa, I uncovered numerous secret rooms and hidden entryways. In one of the rooms, I found some blueprints – schematics for a set of blades that can be easily concealed. Thinking them to be of some use, I decided to take the schematics back with me, where I had a blacksmith make them for me," Shisui explained.

"Is that so? Can this blacksmith corroborate your story?" Darton asked.

"Ask him yourself; he's just been appointed the new Royal Blacksmith," Shisui stated, which surprised Darton somewhat.

"Go fetch the Royal Blacksmith," Darton commanded to one of the officers stood at the door to the courtroom, who left immediately. "While we wait, perhaps you can tell us more about this villa you were in."

"What's there to tell? It was abandoned. Maybe 200 years old, give or take a decade. Made of solid stone with columns, and it had two floors, including a sort of attic and a basement," Shisui shrugged.

"I see, and what kind of stone was it made of?" Darton asked.

"What am I, an Architect? How the hell should I know?" Shisui snapped, narrowing his eyes at Darton.

"Ahem, yes, well… I ask only because I need details. The more you tell us, the more it could possibly help your story," Darton explained after clearing his throat.

"What do you want from me, Darton? It was an old, abandoned villa on the south coast of Fiore, near the ocean. I don't know who owned it, or why it had so many secret rooms, but it did. It wasn't my job to ask questions; my job was to clear out the Kikimores that had made the villa its nest.

"Who was the client?" A voice spoke, astounding everyone with the suddenness of the question.

"Y-Your Majesty! You need not ask any questions. I assure you, we'll examine every possible angle," Darton stammered, bowing to the King who approached Shisui.

"No, Darton, I need to know. So, Shisui… Who gave you the job?" Toma repeated, looking at Shisui with a look that said he wanted to help.

"I can't remember… I think her name was Aya? I'm not sure," Shisui shrugged.

"Alright, well, did the client request you specifically?" Toma asked.

"No, not really. All I know is she requested a Wizard in Fiore to clear out that villa. I just so happened to be the first one to accept the request. Actually, I never even met the client. It was all done by written communication and the delivery of the reward to a specified location chosen by me. The letters I received were written on very strange parchment though… It was a light brown and had a smooth texture to it. Smoother than paper, that's for sure," Shisui explained, as Toma nodded his head.

"That's all, Shisui… Thank you," Toma smiled briefly before returning to his seat, getting and odd look from everyone.

"Uhh… Th-thank you, Your Highness…"Darton stuttered, unsure of how to proceed.

"Excuse me, Minister. I have retrieved the Royal Blacksmith. Shall I send him in?" The officer who had left a few minutes announced as he returned to the courtroom.

"Ah, yes! Excellent! Send him in immediately," Darton commanded, getting a bow from the officer before he turned and opened the door to reveal a big bear of a man.

"Good heavens, he's a large fellow, isn't he?" Toma muttered clearly surprised by how much taller Andreas was compared to the Major.

"Hmm, so you are Andreas, our new Royal Blacksmith? I am to understand you can shed some light on this very serious matter," Darton stared at the large man, who nodded.

"Indeed I can. Whatever allegations you have against this young man are utter bollocks. I've known Shisui for almost two years now. There is no way in hell he is what you claim him to be!" Andreas stated, his voice booming around the room as he spoke.

"Can you explain why you believe that?" Darton asked, somewhat astounded by the man's gruff statement.

"If you're referring to those weapons your soldier was telling me about, then I can and will confirm it was I who crafted them for young Shisui, using blueprints he found from some villa on the south coast of Fiore," Andreas responded.

"I see, and do you swear on that statement with your own life?" Darton asked, looking at Andreas suspiciously.

"My life?! Ha! I would swear it on the graves of my ancestors, _and_ the lives of my future descendants!" Andreas shouted with certainty.

"I believe that comment is enough, don't you Darton?" Toma asked as he stood up once more.

"Indeed, sire… Shisui Karasuma, you are hereby acquitted of all charges brought against you, and from this moment, your position of Colonel within the Royal Army is restored to you, with no conditions of service, or extra requirements," Darton declared, somewhat relieved. "This trial is adjourned!"

' _Well, that was a huge waste of my time…'_ Shisui scowled as he got up and made his way out of the room. "Andreas, can you please accompany me to somewhere more private? I have something I need to ask you."

"Of course, let us retire to my forge. We can speak there," Andreas nodded as he turned to follow Shisui, who suddenly stopped.

"Oh, and those of you who work with me on the Taskforce… Official meeting. Tomorrow at dawn. Do not be late," Shisui commanded, not even looking back at the four officers, or the Royal Family.

"Well, he's not happy…" Abberline muttered.

"You're surprised?" Ophelia muttered as she approached both him and the Major.

"I didn't know what to think, Captain. Part of me still doesn't. What I want to know is what on Earth-Land caused Her Majesty to throw such an accusation at him?" Abberline whispered, glancing over at Caterina.

"You three… Come with me. There's something you all need to know," Toma muttered as he approached Ophelia, Abberline, and Armstrong.

"What about Shisui, Your Highness?" Abberline asked.

"Leave him for now. I'll speak to him myself when the time is right…" Toma mumbled before beckoning the three officers to follow him, along with Arcadios, who was at his side.

* * *

"You're late, Frederick," Ophelia stated as a yawning Frederick Abberline walked into the meeting room the following morning. It was the crack of dawn, and Abberline was the last to arrive.

"Ugh, sorry, Captain… Looks like I'm not the only one who's late," Abberline remarked.

"Sergeant, you know the Second Lieutenant never shows up to these meetings. He probably doesn't even know we have a new Colonel," Armstrong muttered, tapping a large finger on the table in front of him.

"No, I didn't mean him. I was referring to the Colonel himself," Abberline responded.

"Oh, he was here before Captain Ravenheart, and you know how early she likes to be," Arcadios started from his seat on the far right hand side of the table.

"Then where is he?" Abberline asked.

"Here," Shisui spoke from behind Abberline, scaring the young Sergeant half to death.

"Good Lord, Colonel! Are you _trying_ to give me heart failure?!" Abberline yelled.

"No, but it looks like you're finally awake. Take a seat, Freddie, and we can begin," Shisui pushed Abberline into the room and shut the door behind him.

"What's this about, sir? Are we to be reprimanded for yesterday?" Arcadios asked, more out of curiosity than anything.

"No, not at all… This is actually about what we discussed at a recent meeting, about how we are to operate in the city with anonymity in order to take down the gangs," Shisui explained as he removed something from his jacket and threw it on the table, creating a loud clang.

The object Shisui had thrown was a mask. More specifically, a metal mask. A metal mask with a very peculiar design to it. The mask was made of a solid, black metal with golden accents around the eyes and on the two tips that were the ears. The mask itself had a long snout, which gave it the appearance of a wolf-like creature.

"Is… Is that a dog?" Abberline asked after a few seconds.

"No, Freddie, this is a wolf. Well, maybe a jackal. But I prefer to think of it as a wolf," Shisui responded.

"Why does he keep calling me 'Freddie'?" Abberline whispered to Armstrong, who simply shrugged.

"However, these are more than just to hide our faces…" Shisui muttered as he picked up the mask an put it on. "It also changes our vocal patterns."

As soon as Shisui put on the mask and spoke, everyone went wide-eyed. Shisui's voice took on an almost metallic sound, as if he were a machine instead of a human.

"That's actually quite impressive. How did you achieve that?" Ophelia asked.

"Trade secret," Shisui responded from behind the mask before removing it.

"Hey, I just noticed… Colonel, your eyes… I thought they were green?" Abberline pointed to Shisui's eyes, which were now golden once more.

"Yes, I noticed that too. No, my eyes have always been gold. Those Dimeritium shackles I wore while in the dungeon must have drained the last of the small amount of Nature Dragon Slayer Magic I absorbed from the Lacrima," Shisui responded.

"Fascinating… So, Colonel, why did you pick that specific design for your mask?" Armstrong asked.

"Ah, that's also a secret. One which I'm sure you're already aware of, Major," Shisui gave Armstrong a knowing nod, which the Major understood immediately. "Anyway, here's what I want you to all do; go see Andreas at some point today, and give him the designs you want for your masks, and he'll have them ready for you within a day or so. But, you must be quick; soon he'll start work on fashioning masks for every member of the Army, but I need you four to get your masks sorted immediately, and before you ask; yes, you're allowed to pick your own designs. Dismissed."

"Well, looks like the Colonel isn't letting what happened recently affect him," Arcadios muttered once his commanding officer had left the room, astounded by how little Shisui was bothered about being arrested and accused of being a spy sent to kill the Royal Family.

"Yes, it is quite surprising. However, I must say the boy is starting to impress me," Ophelia mused as she stood up and walked to the door.

"You, impressed? You're not getting soft on us, are you Captain?" Abberline joked, before being met with a cold glare from the Captain, who said nothing.

"I think she's just surprised to find someone who takes what they do seriously, doesn't mess about, and isn't afraid to get their hands dirty," Armstrong explained, looking at the Sergeant.

"What, are you saying that I don't?" Abberline looked up at the Major with a raised eyebrow.

"Of course not, but you know how tirelessly she works to bring down Freed Sellzen and his gang. You know what's at stake for her if she fails," Armstrong replied.

"Yes, I suppose you're right…" Abberline muttered.

* * *

With his new mask hanging at his side, Shisui marched through the halls of Mercurius, on his way to conduct more research before he found himself face to face with someone he knew.

"What can I do for you, Princess Rena?" Shisui asked as he stopped in his tracks and looked Rena in the eye.

"Shisui, I need to talk to you about what happened yesterday," Rena stated, returning Shisui's stare.

"Can it wait? I'm not bothered about what happened; it was all a simple misunderstanding," Shisui stated impassively.

"No, this cannot wait. You need to know why mother thought you were here to kill us," Rena replied firmly.

"Look, Rena, you can drop the act, ok? I know," Shisui said, confusing Rena.

"What 'act'? What are you–?" Rena began, before Shisui held up a hand to stop her.

"I know you are not the biological daughter of the King and Queen," Shisui remarked, causing Rena to frown and nod.

"It is so. How long have you known?" Rena asked.

"From the moment I met you and Hisui," Shisui replied.

"What? Then why act like you had no idea?" Rena asked, feeling slightly stung by Shisui's statement.

"Did I? If you'll recall our conversations in the past, how many times did I directly refer to the King as your father, or the Queen as your mother?" Shisui looked at Rena. Upon realising the answer, she looked at him with her mouth hanging open slightly.

"Then why didn't you say anything?" Rena snapped.

"It wasn't my place to say. There must have been a reason the King and Queen wanted to create this charade. My job is to do as His Majesty asks, not question his actions," Shisui responded, keeping his temper despite Rena getting angry at him.

"That's why I wanted to talk to you. You need to know why they did this," Rena muttered. "It pertains to the reason why the Queen wanted to arrest you."

"Alright, go ahead," Shisui said, walking over to the nearby wall and started leaning against it.

"First of all, I should probably tell you my real name. It's Rena K. Hiyama," Rena bowed her head slightly in greeting.

"Ah, so you're from the Hiyama Clan, are you? That certainly fills in some of the blanks," Shisui muttered, nodding in understanding.

"What do you mean? What do you know of the Hiyama Clan?" Rena asked, narrowing her eyes suspiciously.

"The Hiyama Clan. More commonly referred to as 'The Spear of Fiore'; they were the protectors of the Fiore Royal Family. It's said your mother was a fierce warrior and protector," Shisui replied.

"How much do you know about the Hiyama?" Rena asked, clearly surprised by Shisui's knowledge of her real family.

"About as much as Athena could provide me with," Shisui explained, causing Rena to understand.

"You've been researching the Royal Family through the Akashic Records, haven't you?" Rena asked, a small smile creeping on her face.

"No, not the Royal Family, but you. When the King asked me to be your personal bodyguard, I had to know why. So, due to me being curious by nature, I spent some time with Athena and she had just enough to help me piece a few things together," Shisui stated with a small shrug.

"Athena wasn't supposed to have anything on the Hiyama Clan, we had her erase everything…" Rena muttered.

"It seems Athena's desire for knowledge outweighs that of her want to follow orders. All I could find were three names, a coat of arms, a picture, and a few bits and pieces that pertained to the Hiyama Clan," Shisui replied with a disappointed sigh.

"Tell me what you found then," Rena demanded.

"Your mother, as I said, was a fierce warrior who defended the Royal Family with her life, as did your older sister. You, on the other hand… You were different. You had no desire to spill blood to keep the Royal Family safe, you preferred more diplomatic and practical ways. I don't know what happened to them, but I know both your mother and sister are dead," Shisui explained, looking Rena in the eye, but noticing she couldn't return his gaze anymore.

"That is why I wanted to speak to you, to explain why the King and Queen kept you in the dark," Rena muttered, looking at the shining marble floor. "About four years ago, Princess Hisui was kidnapped by an agent of the Pergrande Kingdom… Fortunately, my mother tracked and killed the man before he could leave Fiore. However, there were some… Complications with the matter. It turned out the man was an advisor in the King's Court, who was acting of his own accord, or so the Pergrandians claimed. When the King of Pergrande found out, he wanted retribution. Not only was the man my mother killed an advisor to the King, he was also his brother-in-law," Rena told Shisui, who started understanding.

"Right, and I'm guessing that when the King demanded 'retribution', he meant he wanted his brother-in-law's killer, or start a war with Fiore?" Shisui looked at Rena and got a nod of confirmation from her.

"That's right. I'm sure you know how maniacal the King was then?" Rena asked.

"That depends. The King of Pergrande at the time Hisui was kidnapped was a madman called Ptolemy XIII, yes? He was killed by the most recent King, Bayek III, if my research was correct. In turn, he was killed by Shahkulu, who was loyal to Ptolemy. A shame, really. In the three short years King Bayek reined for, Pergrande seemed to become more diplomatic, from what I've read," Shisui shook his head, understanding the irony behind how King Bayek had become the king, and how he had died. It was a sad irony.

"I really shouldn't be surprised anymore, yet you keep astounding me with just how much you know," Rena smirked, impressed by the depth of Shisui's research. "Yes, at the time of Princess Hisui's kidnapping, Ptolemy was the King, and he demanded my mother's head, or Fiore would burn under the might of the Pergrandian Army."

"This is the part I don't know about. I am assuming the King gave in to Ptolemy's demands?" Shisui asked.

"No, actually. He was incensed by Ptolemy's demands, and refused to give up my mother. So he sent his army to war with Pergrande before they could march on us," Rena explained, surprising Shisui. He had no idea Fiore went to war with Pergrande four years ago.

"Then what happened?" Shisui asked, becoming more and more curious.

"Both sides suffered heavy casualties. Our own General suffered very severe wounds and nearly died as a result, and the man who used to be our Colonel was killed. Both were victims of the Pergrandian Royal Guard. Their special tool were those wrist blades you have. You were right when you said their primary purpose should be for assassination; that's exactly what Ptolemy had envisioned when he created them," Rena responded, noticing that Shisui had now put everything together.

"Right, and because I just so happen to have these wrist blades, the Queen assumed I was a soldier from Pergrande who was loyal to Ptolemy, just like Shahkulu is, and that I was here to finish what Ptolemy started, yes? That pretty much explains everything, but what happened to your mother and sister?" Shisui looked at Rena, who shifted uncomfortably.

"They… They were killed a week before Ptolemy was assassinated and the war ended…" Rena muttered.

"Another casualty of war, like the last Colonel?" Shisui asked.

"No… My mother was the head of the Hiyama Clan. _She_ was 'The Spear of Fiore'. His Majesty refused to let her go to the front lines. Instead, he ordered her, my sister, and myself to remain in Crocus. He couldn't risk losing his most committed guardians," Rena replied.

"So what happened?" Shisui pressed. Part of him questioned why he wanted to know so badly, but he ignored it.

"One of the members of Ptolemy's Royal Guard infiltrated Mercurius. He found and killed my mother and sister," Rena whispered. "I survived, only because I had been asked to look after Princess Hisui while Her Majesty was unwell. I was the one who found their bodies…"

"Rena, I… I'm sorry," Shisui took a step towards Rena, who flinched and moved back suddenly.

"Do you want to know who killed them? It was the same man who now poisons this city! The man who murdered King Bayek and fled here! Shahkulu…" Rena hissed. Her words dripped with venom as she spoke, but her eyes belied her words. Rena was crying. "I want you to promise me something, Shisui."

"What would you ask of me, Rena?" Shisui asked.

"Kill Shahkulu… Crush him and make him suffer. I want him to know the error he made when he attacked both the Hiyama, and Fiore," Rena whispered, clutching onto one of his bracers, her fingers touching the wrist blade on the back.

"I assure you, Shahkulu is going to die. Not just for what he's done to the Hiyama, or Fiore. I have my own suspicions about his motives. I cannot – nay, I _will not_ – allow him to live," Shisui reassured, grasping Rena by the shoulders and looking her in the eyes, which still had tears flowing from them.

"Thank you…" Rena whispered as she pressed her face into Shisui's chest, stifling a sob.

* * *

After Shisui's discussion with Rena, he now had a better understanding about the inner workings for the palace. Once Rena had calmed down, she explained to him that only he and Arcadios knew of the truth behind Rena's identity; the less who knew, the better. Not only that, but it seemed Shahkulu had no idea Rena was even a member of the Hiyama Clan, and in order to keep her safe, King Toma had decided to 'adopt' Rena, and make her part of the Royal Family. Such an arrangement worked out well for everyone – no-one else knew who Rena really was, and Hisui was too young to understand, making it easier for her to think they were simply sisters.

Shisui still wanted to hear all of this from the Queen, and the King, but that wasn't all he wanted. Queen Caterina had something he wanted. More accurately, she had _someone_ who could help give him some answers, and that is one thing he wanted more than anything at the moment.

It was because of his desire for answers that he now found himself walking down the corridor towards Caterina's bedchamber. He had been told by one of the Queen's Ladies-in-Waiting that he would find her there.

As he turned a corner, he found the room he was looking for, and it wasn't hard to spot, considering there were two soldiers stood outside the room. His curiosity raised, he approached the two soldiers to see why they were present.

"What are you both doing here?" Shisui called out to the two men.

"Hmm? Oh, good day, Colonel. We have been asked to stand guard outside Her Majesty's room," one of the officers explained.

"Oh? By who?" Shisui asked.

"Lieutenant Arcadios, sir," the second officer responded.

"I see… Well, I need to talk to the Queen. May I go in?" Shisui's eyes darted to the door.

"I'm afraid not, sir. Direct orders from Lieutenant Arcadios; no-one is allowed to see the Queen, under any circumstance," the first officer replied, afraid he was over-stepping his mark by refusing a senior officer's request.

"Very well, I understand. I suppose it can wait. If you could let Her Majesty know I need to see her at her earliest convenience, that would be appreciated. As you were, gentlemen," Shisui nodded before turning back the way he had come.

"That was odd… Do you think he's mad about Her Majesty trying to arrest him?" The first officer asked, looking at his comrade.

"He didn't seem mad. Who knows what he's thinking?" The second officer shrugged before the two returned to their duty.

' _Damn, I still need to talk to Leo. He knows something about these…'_ Shisui groaned as he unzipped part of his jacket and pulled out the two black and red keys from their spot around his neck. In the name of caution, Shisui had decided to put the two keys on a chain and hang them around his neck, where no-one would be able to see them.

"Colonel! Colonel! I have good news!" A voice called out, causing Shisui to turn around only to see Sergeant Abberline running after him.

"Freddie? What's the rush?" Shisui looked at the panting man with confusion.

"I've just received word, sir! The Devil's Hand; they've been disbanded!" Abberline beamed, holding out a letter to Shisui.

"Oh? I assume this is correspondence from some of your men who were investigating the gang?" Shisui asked as he took the letter.

 _Sergeant,_

 _It is with a happy hand that I write to inform you of the collapse of the gang known as 'The Devil's Hand'. Upon your orders, four officers, including myself, infiltrated the gang to find out who was in charge, and it appears it was in fact a Sylvan that was giving the orders. Yesterday, I heard someone had killed the beast and that caused the gang to fall into disarray. Actually, it wasn't the death of the monster, but news of who had killed it._ She _has returned, and she has offered aid to the Kingdom. Sergeant, I hope it was not too forward of me to accept on your behalf and request she seek you out at Mercurius._

 _Sincerely,_

 _Corporal Iida_

 _P.S She is already aware of our new Colonel, and wants to meet with him too._

"So, it was a Sylvan that was giving out orders? That makes sense. They're Post-Conjunction Creatures that are obsessed with hoarding things for no reason other than they can. That, however, isn't what I'm interested it. Who is 'she', and why is she keen to help?" Shisui folded up the letter and handed it back to Abberline.

"You'll find out when you meet her. Come, come! She's waiting for us!" Abberline placed his hands on Shisui's shoulders and began to push him down the hallway.

"Damn it, Freddie! Stop it! I can walk by myself, I'm not a bloody cripple!" Shisui shouted as he broke free from Abberline's pushing.

"I'm sorry, sir. I'm just elated we finally have some good news for once!" Abberline remarked, scratching the back of his head sheepishly.

"Indeed, but you can celebrate later, alright? Let's go…" Shisui waved a hand to Abberline, instructing him to follow.

* * *

"Ah, so this is the new Colonel I've heard so much about since I returned… How interesting," A woman remarked as she saw Shisui and Abberline descend the stairs into the main foyer.

"Yes, and who are you exactly? From what I hear, you're the individual who got rid of a Sylvan in the East District, and subsequently removed The Devil's Hand from that area," Shisui responded as he looked at the woman in front of him.

The woman had black, shoulder length hair and light brown eyes. She was wearing a purple coat, which had a thick collar of feathers and only just managed to cover her breasts, despite leaving her cleavage on display, along with the rest of her midriff. She wore a pair of short shorts that were the same colour as her coat that could have easily been mistaken for underwear. A pair of thigh-high boots that were the same colour as the rest of her outfit completed her 'modest' look.

"Looks like the Sylvan stole some of your clothes before you killed it…" Shisui muttered upon seeing what the woman was wearing, which only caused her to laugh.

"Oh, darling, no! This is what I normally wear. I like to be able to move freely, whatever I do," the woman responded.

"You move any more 'freely' and something is going to pop out…" Shisui deadpanned as he tried to figure out exactly how the woman's coat was able to cover her breasts without actually being buttoned up.

"Aren't you a funny one? No, dear, I use magic to keep my apparel on me. No matter how much I move, nothing will come off unless I will it," the woman explained.

"Uh-huh… You still haven't told me who you are. And yet you apparently already know who I am," Shisui raised an eyebrow suspiciously.

"Did Sergeant Abberline not tell you? I used to be the Court Wizard for His Majesty, King Toma. Not only that, but I served as the Army's Head Battlemage during the war with Pergrande four years ago. I am Merlin, and it's a pleasure to meet you, Colonel Shisui," the woman, now revealed to be Merlin, smiled as she held out a finely manicured hand.

"Ok, well… Nice to make your acquaintance, Merlin. I understand you wish to help us be rid of the gangs that plague Crocus?" Shisui asked as he took Merlin's hand and shook it.

"Indeed. Crocus is _my_ city. I do not take kindly to those who would try to poison her and turn her into a cesspool," Merlin glowered.

"Huh… Interesting. I expected fire when you're angry. Instead you've frozen the floor," Shisui muttered as he broke free of the ice Merlin had inadvertently created.

"Oh, I'm sorry! I tend to lose control when I let my emotions run wild," Merlin laughed as the ice instantly began to melt.

"Right, that was fun. Lady Merlin, does His Majesty know you have returned?" Abberline asked, changing the subject.

"No, I don't think so. I should probably go tell him, shouldn't I? I'm sure he'll be thrilled to have his favourite Battlemage back in his court!" Merlin laughed as she and Abberline walked off to find King Toma.

' _So, another ally joins our ranks and one gang has been taken care of… This is certainly shaping up to be quite positive for us…'_ Shisui nodded before walking off. _'I think it's time to go pay Athena another visit. I have more research to conduct.'_

* * *

"Welcome back, Colonel," Athena greeted Shisui as he entered the Akashic Records again.

"Good day, Athena. I have a request for you," Shisui nodded to the holographic projection that was Athena.

"What is your request, Colonel?" Athena asked, both her and her owl were looking at Shisui expectantly.

"I've been here enough to know you're a sentient being, for lack of a better term. Despite being given orders, you have the free will to accept or reject those orders," Shisui stated.

"What are you asking me, Colonel?" Athena asked, examining the Colonel closely.

"When I was conducting research on the Royal Family last week and discovered information about the Hiyama Clan, you told me you had erased all records of the Hiyama Clan. I don't believe you," Shisui stated.

"Colonel… Tell me what you're asking me to do," Athena commanded.

"I want you to retrieve all records that contain information about Rena K. Hiyama and her clan," Shisui declared, and in that moment, he could have sworn a smile graced Athena's features.

"As you command, Colonel," Athena nodded and disappeared along with her owl to fulfil Shisui's order.

After a few minutes, Athena had returned and she had brought a massive amount of information about the Hiyama Clan.

"The Hiyama Clan. Royal Guards of Fiore, they have carried the name 'The Spear of Fiore' for generations. The most recent Head of the Hiyama Clan was Lady Tsuo Hiyama. Lady Tsuo was groomed for leadership from a young age, as is customary within the Hiyama Clan. As a young girl, Tsuo was trained to fight with every kind of weapon imaginable, all for the sole purpose of protecting the Royal Family. The next in line to be Clan Head was Lady Akane Hiyama. Unfortunately, both lost their lives during the War of the Desert Rose in X775 with the Pergrande Kingdom," Athena recited, bringing up images of both Tsuo and Akane Hiyama.

The first thing that Shisui thought when he saw Lady Tsuo was that she had a fire and ferocity about her that was similar to Erza's. It didn't help that they both had red hair, even if Tsuo's was a darker shade.

Akane, on the other hand, had the exact same colour hair as Erza, but she didn't look anywhere near as dangerous as her mother, but Shisui knew looks were deceiving. She was being groomed to take over as the next Head of the Hiyama. Whether she looked it or not, Akane Hiyama was as dangerous as her mother.

"Huh, looks like Akane and I would have been about the same age… That's odd, Rena said she was the younger one, but this picture says otherwise…" Shisui examined the picture of the Hiyama ladies, and Rena looked like she was a few years younger than Akane. "Tell me more about the War of the Desert Rose."

"The War of the Desert Rose took place in X775 and lasted for all of three months. The war ended after the Pergrandian King, Ptolemy XIII was murdered by the man who would become the next King of the Pergrande Kingdom, Bayek III. The war began as a result of Lady Tsuo killing the brother-in-law of King Ptolemy in an attempt to save Princess Hisui from being kidnapped by the man. King Ptolemy claimed the death of his brother-in-law was an act of aggression by Fiore, but claimed he had no knowledge of the man ever going to Fiore," Athena explained.

"Did the man have anything on him to prove otherwise? Surely, an advisor to a foreign king doesn't simply kidnap the daughter of another king for the hell of it. Ptolemy must have given him the order, if not someone directly in Ptolemy's Inner Circle. There's no way this man acted alone," Shisui looked at Athena, who's holographic face seemed to frown slightly.

"Apologies, Colonel, but the man had several documents on his person at the time he was killed, several of them being Royal Correspondence from within the Pergrandian Court. After the war, the former General of the Fiore Royal Army, with the consent of the King had the documents marked 'Classified' to anyone who wasn't a General, or the King. It was meant to be a sign of good faith to the new Pergrandian King, to show he could trust Fiore," Athena stated, her owl cooing sadly at the news.

"So, what, there's nothing you can do?" Shisui looked at the holographic woman expectantly.

"As I'm sure you're aware, Colonel, sentient as I am; I am not a real person, but a machine. This entire archive has both hard and digital files. It is, however, on a closed system that I have control over. While I might not be allowed to give anyone access to whatever they want, I can transfer digital files of anything wherever I want," Athena looked at Shisui, understanding what he was asking her.

"Is that so? Athena, how long would it take for you to move those Classified Documents to this?" Shisui asked as he reached into his pocket and pulled out the Focus device he received from the Huntress.

"I can move everything you need within a few seconds. What will take a while, however, is for your device to decrypt and restore the files," Athena replied, deliberately choosing her words.

"'Decrypt and restore'?" Shisui raised an eyebrow at Athena.

"Yes, in order to break the 'Classified' status of the files, I must encrypt them with a small virus that partially damages the copy. The only way you can get full, unfettered access to the documents is through this method," Athena stated.

"Alright, Athena… I trust you. Upload the files to my Focus, and I'll go from there," Shisui commanded, equipping the Focus for the first time since he removed it when arriving in Magnolia Town a couple of days ago.

"Upload complete. Everything you've asked for has been sent to you. I also took the liberty of uploading all the files on the Hiyama Clan, and the War of the Desert Rose," Athena responded; her owl hooting in joy.

"Thank you, Athena. You might only be a machine, but you have more compassion and humanity than most humans do. I'll return should I need to conduct more research. If you can, try to keep this between us, ok? I realise what I've asked for is wrong on several levels, but I need to figure out what in the hell is going on, and why the Royal Family needs to keep secrets; especially from someone who they've asked to help them," Shisui muttered as he turned and left the Akashic Records.

* * *

"Hmm, an hour gone and still the decryption process is only at one percent. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. This Focus does have a very tiny motor and circuitry. For its size, its processing power is incredible," Shisui muttered to himself as he walked across the courtyard of the palace.

"Colonel?" Arcadios called out, getting Shisui's attention.

"Yes, what is it?" Shisui deactivated his Focus before he looked at the large man, who seemed quite nervous as he approached.

"Can you come with me, please? His Majesty has requested your presence," Arcadios returned the look with his own confused look.

"What's this about?" Shisui asked, wondering if the King had been alerted to his actions inside the Akashic Records.

"I don't know. A woman came here shortly after you left, looking for you. She wouldn't tell me why, only that she needed to speak to you and His Majesty," Arcadios explained as the two walked through the palace.

"A woman…?" Shisui muttered. "Do you know her name?"

"No, sir. I know nothing of who she is, or why she is here. As I said, she told me nothing except she needed to see you and the King," Arcadios repeated.

"Right… This should be interesting then," Shisui sighed.

' _Something tells me Arcadios knows more than he's letting on. Why would he be so nervous otherwise?'_ Shisui looked at the man next to him, trying to figure him out.

"Is something wrong, sir?" Arcadios asked, causing Shisui to realised he was looking right at the Lieutenant.

"Yes, I was just wondering if you have been to see Andreas yet. Is that why you look so nervous? He can be intimidating to those who have never met him. Hmm, now that I think about it, I wonder how Freddie reacted the first time he met him…?" Shisui replied, muttering to himself at the end.

"I've been to see him, yes. He's not exactly the most loquacious fellow I've met," Arcadios replied.

"What, and our dear Captain Ravenheart is? Come now, Lieutenant, did you actually try to engage the man in conversation? You'll find he's actually quite passionate about certain subjects. You just need to know what they are," Shisui laughed, which put Arcadios at ease.

' _Ah, so that's it… Lieutenant Arcadios, why am I not surprised?'_ Shisui shook his head.

"Alright, we're here. I'll just go let His Majesty know you've arrived. I'll be one moment," Arcadios said as he opened one of the doors to the Throne Room.

As he had done so many times in the past, Shisui waited for Arcadios to notify King Toma that he was waiting outside. Just like every other time, the span of time between Arcadios leaving to calling Shisui in was…

"Seventeen," Shisui muttered, counting out the last second as Arcadios pushed the door to the throne room open and beckoned him in.

"Did you say something, sir?" Arcadios asked as Shisui walked in.

"No, it was nothing. Don't worry," Shisui reassured as he walked past Arcadios and entered the Throne Room.

Shisui entered the Throne Room and saw King Toma, sat on the throne, and a young woman he didn't recognise, but he recognised the clothing. She was a nun.

"Ah, Shisui, there you are. I have received some troubling news from this young lady," Toma raised a hand towards the nun, who turned around to greet Shisui.

The nun was a young girl, around the age of sixteen, and had lavender-silver hair, bright blue eyes and pale skin. Shisui guessed she wasn't from Fiore, but probably from the Northern Continent. Her habit was far too short, however; just barely long enough to reach the top of her thighs Around her neck was a small silver key on a string, which lay on top of her surprisingly large breasts. Aside from the short habit, the girl looked rather elegant… Until she opened her mouth, that is.

"Yo! Are you Shisui?!" The girl called out, giving Shisui a wave before letting out a loud belch.

"Uhh, yeah. Who are you exactly?" Shisui looked at the King with a raised eyebrow, who looked at him apologetically. It seemed even he had no idea how 'casual' this girl was.

"Oh, that's right. I gotta do that huh? My name's Kate. Kate Takayama. I'd shake your hand, but I've been trying to stop my panties from chafing all day. You know how it is," Kate laughed.

"No, not really… What exactly is it you want? And how do you know my name? I assume you're one of those 'Sisters of the Light' from the West End?" Shisui couldn't help but keep an eyebrow raised.

"Yeah, that's right. Mother Kate, they call me. Well, the kids do at least. Anyway, as to why I'm here. You, my murderous friend, are in big trouble," Kate sighed as she pressed her hands together before pointing them at Shisui.

"Excuse me?" Shisui looked at Kate ludicrously.

"C'mon! You know what I mean. Those two dudes you killed a while ago. Those assholes who spent all their free time licking Freed Sellzen's asshole, remember them? Yeah, well, the Big Asshole knows and wants you dead," Kate shrugged as she put a hand down her habit and pulled out a can of cola and opened it before taking a large gulp. "Ahh, I knew these tits would be useful for something."

"What do you mean 'the Big Asshole knows'? You're saying Freed knows two of his men are dead?" Shisui asked.

"Yeah, but not only that, he knows who you are. How do you think I knew your name? As far as I was told, when you met Mother Superior, you told her nothing. So how do you think I knew it now?" Kate responded.

That little bit of news hit Shisui like a tonne of bricks. He knew killing those men would come back to haunt him, he just never expected it to happen like this, or so soon. However, he wouldn't let fear overrule rationality.

"Right, so what exactly do you propose I do? It might mean my job is going to be harder, but I'm still going to kill Freed, and that piece of shit, Shahkulu. This won't stop me," Shisui stated confidently.

"Heh, ballsy isn't he? I gotta admit, To-To, you've found yourself one manly soldier," Kate grinned as she looked at King Toma.

"Yes, well… Manly or not, he is no good to us dead. That's why I have a way to remedy the situation. It's not going to be forever, but I think sending you on 'Extended Administrative Leave' is in order," Toma decided, nodding his head slowly.

"Excuse me? You want me to run and hide? With all due respect, Your Majesty, fuck that!" Shisui snapped.

"Tell me, Shisui, does the name 'Fairy Tail' mean anything to you?" Kate asked.

"Where did you hear that name?!" Shisui hissed, stepping up and glaring at Kate.

"Whoa, just take it easy man… That's the name I heard from some of Freed's ass lickers. Mother Superior heard it too and got concerned. It seems she knows the name well," Kate replied, holding her hands up in front of her.

"Argh… SHIT! This isn't good. This isn't good at all. You know what this means, don't you, Your Majesty?" Shisui turned his head to Toma.

"Yes… It would appear we have a traitor in our midst…" Toma whispered gravely. "Very well… Colonel, I give you express permission to find and deal with this traitor… By any means necessary."

"Right, and while you do that, I'll go see what Mother Superior and the other Sisters can do to help. We'll deal with both the traitor and the Big Asshole. Relax, man. It's all chill," Kate waved a dismissive hand before belching again.

"Sister Takayama, I need you to swear you'll keep this quiet. You may speak only to Mother Superior about this, as I'm sure she understands how serious this is," Toma looked at the young nun, who nodded.

"Yeah, you got it, To-To. Only Mother Superior will know about this. We'll see what we can do from our end, and you guys do what you gotta do here. I'll catch ya later, Shisui," Kate grinned before turning around and took five steps before stopping. "Oh, yeah, tell Ophelia that her –"

"Yes! Err, I mean, of course. I'll let the Captain know," Toma interrupted anxiously, confusing Shisui.

"Alright, well… Later!" Kate waved a final goodbye, but stopped once more.

"Now what have you forgotten?" Shisui asked aggressively.

"Hmm? Oh, nothing. It's these damn panties… I need new ones," Kate muttered as she hitched up her habit and started tugging at a pair of worn, pink panties before pulling her habit down again and leaving the Throne Room.

' _That girl has no shame…'_ Shisui thought as he had to watch Kate adjust her panties… Right in front of the King.

"That girl has no shame…" Toma sighed, shaking his head in disbelief.

"Yeah, you don't say…" Shisui muttered. "Alright, enough screwing around. We know Freed is aware of who I am and where my affiliations truly lie. I need to act _now_."

"Hold on, don't be hasty, my boy. First, you'll need to speak to Captain Ravenheart. The Major tells me you put her in charge of Freed and the West End?" Toma asked.

"That's right. With the return of Merlin, and her help with The Devil's Hand, we can now devote more resources to taking down Freed," Shisui thought aloud.

"Aren't you forgetting something?" Toma raised an eyebrow.

"What, you mean the Crypt Kings and 'The Ripper'? Hardly. But they're in hiding; always moving , always alert. Trying to focus on them now would waste time, and the more time Freed is allowed to live is more time my family is put at risk," Shisui replied.

"No. That isn't who I mean… Think harder," Toma stated, narrowing his eyes.

"Shit. The Prog Twins. I _had_ forgotten about them. Dammit," Shisui growled.

"Ahh, see? You're letting emotions cloud your judgement. You're not thinking properly. Remember, my boy, Major Armstrong is in charge of the taskforce for the moment. You have a different assignment," Toma reminded Shisui as he stood up and walked down the steps from his throne.

"Yes… Rena, I know," Shisui sighed, shaking his head.

"Precisely, and I won't allow you to bring harm to Rena because you aren't focussed and committed. My daughter is–" Toma began, before being interrupted.

"Sire, you can drop the act. I know who Rena really is," Shisui turned to look at the King.

"I'm afraid I don't know what you're–" Toma protested, but was interrupted again.

"Your Majesty, please don't take me as a fool. I know all about the Hiyama and the War of the Desert Rose. Rena told me," Shisui explained, causing the King to look at Shisui the exact same way Rena did.

"I'm sorry, my boy… It was best for everyone if people believed she was my actual daughter. When did you find out?" Toma asked.

"I always knew. Rena's scent isn't even remotely similar to that of Princess Hisui, you, or your wife," Shisui replied.

"Ah, I see…" Toma muttered.

"Look, it's no big deal, Sire. I'll still protect Rena with my life. Fiore or Hiyama, I'll always protect her," Shisui stated, causing Toma to sigh heavily in relief.

"That is a huge weight off my shoulders, my boy. I was afraid you'd refuse if you found out the truth. You do me and this Kingdom a great honour," Toma smiled.

"No, I am simply doing as asked, Your Highness…" Shisui shrugged. _'Though, something doesn't sit right with me about this…'_

"Either way, I am pleased to have you guarding Rena. I'm sure you know what's happening next month, don't you?" Toma asked.

"Uhh, the Kingdom will be celebrating the New Year?" Shisui asked with a weak shrug. He really had no idea.

"No! Well, yes, but that's beside the point. It's Rena's 18th birthday, and we plan on throwing a huge party for her! You only get to be eighteen once!" Toma laughed.

"With all due respect, sir… Are you sure that's a good idea? A giant party is practically an invite for our enemies," Shisui responded.

"Ah, yes… So, I would assume throwing a masquerade is a bad idea?" Toma scratched the back of his head sheepishly.

"Please tell me you didn't…" Shisui looked at the King with worry.

"I'm sorry, my boy! Ever since she was a little girl, Rena always wanted a masquerade ball for her 18th. We've spent years planning this!" Toma cried.

"So, next month – next year, even – we'll be celebrating the birthday of one of Fiore's princesses, and it's going to be a masquerade ball. Shall we just put up a giant fucking banner to welcome Freed and his Ass Lickers? Dammit! I'm turning into Kate!" Shisui sighed in exasperation.

"I understand your frustration, but please put those feelings in the back of your mind. If not for me, then for Rena," Toma pleaded.

"Well, I guess it's a good thing I have this…" Shisui muttered as he removed the wolf mask at his side.

"Oh, what is this?" Toma asked, becoming curious.

"See for yourself," Shisui muttered, placing the mask over his face and let out a long, deep breath, which sounded like a machine valve releasing a build-up of air pressure. "This is a mask I decided the soldiers should wear. The officers on the Taskforce however, they have special masks."

"Good heavens… That's incredible. If I didn't see you put it on, I would have no idea it was you under there! This is perfect! We make this part of the standard military uniform, and we'll be most fearsome!" Toma laughed with joy.

"That wasn't exactly what I was going for…" Shisui breathed as he pulled the mask off and placed it at his side again. "It was more for anonymity in the city and within the gangs."

"Ah, I see… Well, I commend you on such an amazing idea!" Toma beamed.

"Yes, quite… Now, if you'll excuse me, I must go see to Rena," Shisui bowed before leaving the Throne Room.

* * *

After his 'discussion' with Kate Takayama and the King, Shisui had left to go speak to Rena. Though, he had more on his mind than a mere 'talk'.

Simply put, Shisui was annoyed. Annoyed at how myopic Rena was being. How selfish she was. He decided to put her in her place. Princess, Guardian of Fiore, it mattered not to Shisui. She could potentially be putting lives at risk with this party of hers.

Shisui stormed down the halls of the bedroom wing of the palace, completely ignoring the greetings some of the maids had given him. He arrived outside Rena's room and contemplated barging in, but opted to knock before he heard a faint sound coming from her room. Rena was playing her piano again.

This changed Shisui's attitude. He had spent a few nights sat up on the roof of the palace above Rena's room, and he knew she only played her piano when she was upset over something. Shisui had guessed it was about Shahkulu and her family.

Instead of barging in, Shisui stood outside and listened to the music Rena was playing. It was definitely something new she was playing; Shisui had never heard it before, but it seemed he arrived at the beginning of a new song.

 _Every now and then a lifetime needs a second chance to find another one, like you  
Don't forget your better reason - all your silly risks will bring you down  
Several years of bitter Mondays take a heavy toll, then you realize… it's you  
Until you make this easy harder, no one else will care if you're around_

If you live your life with no tomorrows  
Every day is just a road to sorrow  
You should know - what they want they get it  
If it's you, they won't let you forget it

Oh, so much for gentle lions gathering the sheep  
All I wanted was something safe  
Show me your ungrateful tyrants  
I'll point out the mirror points at you  
This is where forever gets us…  
Immoral wishes and oblivion, I can't stay  
I don't need The Conflagration,  
I don't need the hate, and I don't need you

 _I'm on my own… I'm on my own…_

Shisui had heard enough. The last time he listened to Rena at the door he had knocked. This time, he opened the door and walked right in, taking Rena by surprise, who immediately stopped playing and stood up.

"Shisui, what are–?" Rena began.

"You and I need to have a chat," Shisui commanded, pointing to Rena's bed. "Sit."

"What's your problem?" Rena snapped.

"Do as I say!" Shisui shouted, surprising Rena. "What was that?"

"Excuse me? I should be asking you that," Rena replied, glaring at Shisui from her spot on her bed.

"You know what I mean. You only ever play your piano when you're upset and hurting. That song… You really think you're on your own?" Shisui stood where he was, looking at Rena.

"What? Can't a girl express her–" Rena started.

"Don't take me for a fool, Rena. You forced me to open up to you, now it's time you do the same for me," Shisui replied.

"What do you want from me, Shisui?" Rena sighed.

"I want you to be honest with me. Rena, I can't help you if you don't let me," Shisui stated, his voice softening slightly.

"What makes you think I need help?" Rena responded, crossing her arms and huffing.

"You're joking, right? Rena, earlier today you asked me to kill Shahkulu for what he did to your mother and sister. If that's not asking for help, I don't know what is," Shisui sighed.

"I asked you to kill him because that's your job. Nothing more, nothing less," Rena snapped.

While Shisui would never admit it, that quip from Rena definitely stung. He remained expressionless as he watched Rena closely.

"Right… And what about everything else?" Shisui muttered.

"I felt you needed to know. It wasn't fair to keep you in the dark about who I am, especially since you knew I wasn't an actual princess," Rena shrugged.

"Bullshit," Shisui growled, fixing Rena with a hard stare. "Rena, you could have simply told me to kill Shahkulu for whatever reason. You had no reason to tell me about who you really were, and about the Hiyama. Sure, I would have figured out a bit from Athena, but it was what you told me that made me look into your family more. _You wanted me to know_."

"And so what if I did?!" Rena yelled, tears welling up in her eyes. "So what if I wanted you to know about my family and what happened to them?! It changes nothing! Both my mother and sister are dead and nothing will ever change that! Maybe I just wanted you to know because I thought you'd care! You know what it's like to lose family! Maybe I thought you'd know how I was feeling and… and…"

Rena couldn't carry on. She had completely broken down and was now on her hands and knees on the floor, sobbing and struggling to breathe properly.

"Rena…" Shisui covered the distance between him and Rena in three steps and knelt down next to her, one hand on her arm and the other on her back, trying to calm her down.

"It's not fair! I just want my family back!" Rena wailed, tears running down her face and dripping onto the marble floor of her room. "Why did they have to die, Shisui? Why did they have to die and leave me behind?!"

For the first time in a long time, Shisui was lost for words. For years, this girl had kept these emotions bottled up inside her and now she had reached the breaking point. Shisui blamed himself for some of it. If he had said nothing to Rena, maybe she wouldn't have had to face her past again. Shisui sat down on the floor next to Rena, and gently squeezed her arm as he rubbed her back in an attempt to calm her down more.

The action itself didn't calm her down. Instead, she pulled herself up onto her knees before turning to Shisui and burying her face in his chest as she continued to sob heavily. Shisui said nothing and just sat there and let Rena cry until she had no more tears left.

Several hours later, Rena had stopped crying and had fallen asleep, using Shisui as a pillow. Part of him wanted to move the young girl, mainly because she looked like she was sleeping very uncomfortably, but every time he moved Rena would let out a strange noise in protest. Shisui simply gave up and left the girl where she was. Part of him actually felt comfortable and at peace sat there with Rena. She was like a kindred spirit, and he liked that.

' _Oh, this isn't good…'_ Shisui thought as he found himself running a hand through Rena's red hair, making her sigh with content in her sleep.

Shisui was starting to develop feelings for Rena.

* * *

 **A/N; Alright guys, here you are. Chapter Eight in record time. Well, not really, but it's better than waiting 5 months.**

 **What did you think of this Chapter? I felt like a lot happened and more mysteries begin to unravel and get deeper. What was the King trying to figure out in Shisui's hearing after his arrest? What is making Captain Ravenheart work so tirelessly to bring down Freed Sellzen and his cult? Why did Shahkulu kill Rena's mother and sister? Why had Athena been commanded to erase everything on the Hiyama? What was the man who kidnapped Hisui intending, if he was acting of his own accord?**

 **All of these questions and more will be answered at some point before this arc comes to an end, but I hope you like the deep backstory and lore I've created. I want to make this pretty detailed and immersive.**

 **Anyway… Leave a review and tell me what you think. While I am happy to hear you're all eager to keep reading, leaving reviews asking me to continue isn't helpful. I will be continuing this story and I will be finishing it. The same goes for my Bleach Fanfic (which I'll start again next year, and maybe change a few things, maybe not. Either way, I think it needs a minor clean up in a few places), so don't worry about that. But if enough of you have questions about stuff, I might actually start answering reviews at the end of each chapter like I did with my Bleach Fanfic. We'll see…**

 **For those that want to be dicks and try and criticise my Fanfic, before I even consider your 'opinions', I'd actually like to see you write one that's just as good as (or better than) mine. Then your negative comments might have merit.**

 **Thanks for reading, and I'll be back with Chapter Nine very soon, so hit that Favourite/Follow Button if you don't wanna miss out, guys.**

 **Pastasaurus**

 **P.S. Hooray for 100,000+ words!**


	9. Voices

Chapter Nine – Voices

A month had passed since Shisui had returned to Crocus from Magnolia Town after recruiting Andreas to become the Royal Army's Blacksmith, and operations within the city had come to a near grinding halt for the Taskforce.

With the return of Merlin, King Toma's Court Mage, the three remaining gangs had started to become more cautious and more discreet. It had been difficult for the officers to pin down any useful information, as most were misdirects, red herrings, and complete fabrications.

For Major Armstrong, who was currently in charge of operations, all the information that had turned out to be false had stressed the man out. Almost to breaking point. He was usually very calm and collected, but Shisui had been hearing several conversations other soldiers were having with each other about the Major completely flying off the handle and issuing outrageous punishments for even the most trivial of matters.

In all honesty, Shisui couldn't blame him. He understood all too well the pressure the man was under. After learning The Devil's Hand had been disbanded and the Eastern District returned to the people, the citizens were starting to regain hope. The only problem there was they didn't understand the finer points to handling these gangs, so after no progress had been made within a month, the people started to think the Royal Army was getting lazy and complacent, and such comments did little to help the Major's stress levels, or his rising blood pressure.

While the poor Major was left to deal with that, Shisui had his own problems to deal with… Most of them in the form of one Rena K. Hiyama, the young lady he had been tasked with protecting. Ever since her breakdown and Shisui's subsequent comforting, he had started to develop feelings for Rena. He himself had no idea how it happened, but he did all he could to suppress those feelings.

That, however, proved far more difficult than he thought it would be. There were days which he would see Rena happy and content. Her eyes were full of life and her smile was dazzling. Shisui couldn't help but stand and stare. It was fortunate for him all officers in the Royal Army were required to wear masks whilst on duty, otherwise Rena might have noticed him staring at her already.

There were bad days too, which didn't help Shisui at all. Ever since her breakdown, Rena had come to trust Shisui far more. Even going so far as to seek him out when she was upset, because she knew he'd try to make her feel better. It was hard for Shisui, as he couldn't just turn her away; she had no-one else to turn to. However, when she was upset, it made him want to do whatever he could to make her smile again.

Part of him believed that Rena either knew he had feelings for her, or that she was reciprocating them. He wasn't entirely sure either way, but he had noted there were a few 'moments' between them that gave him pause for thought.

It was the little things; whenever they exchanged glances, their eyes would linger on each other for a few seconds as they passed through the palace. Whenever Rena was excited, she'd grab Shisui's hands and hold onto them for several seconds, looking at him with a big, bright smile. If they were ever together outside, they'd always brush hands as Rena walked at his side.

Whenever she was really upset, Rena would press her face into Shisui's chest, holding onto his jacket with her hands, and sometimes she'd even give him something akin to a hug. It was hard for Shisui to figure out, as he knew these sorts of things are what friends do for each other. Whatever it was, he was absolutely certain their relationship was more than just 'Princess' and 'Guardian'.

"Hey, Shisui, would you snap out of it?!" A voice yelled before Shisui felt a throbbing pain in the back of his head.

"Ow, dammit! What the hell was that for, woman?!" Shisui snapped, glaring at the person who had smacked him over the head. The Huntress.

"You're here because I'm teaching you how to use a bow and arrow, not to daydream," The Huntress retorted, throwing another arrow at Shisui.

"Yeah, whatever… I'm doing fine," Shisui scoffed as he caught the arrow, loaded it into the bow and fired it, completely missing his target.

"I'm sorry, what was that about you 'doing fine'?" The Huntress teased as Shisui growled and tossed the bow to the ground. "Alright, c'mon. Sit down."

Begrudgingly, Shisui sat down in the shade next to the Huntress, before activating his Focus. That was another thing the Huntress had offered to teach Shisui; how to properly use and understand how the focus worked.

"Ugh, it's been a month and _still_ those files haven't been decrypted. Fucking stupid thing…" Shisui muttered as he immediately checked on the status of the files he had received from Athena in the Akashic Records.

"Are you _still_ going on about those damn files?" The Huntress sighed, almost mocking Shisui by stressing the same word as he did.

"What? They're important to me. I know this thing has a small processing system, but goddamn… A month seems ridiculous," Shisui replied, ignoring the Huntress' quip.

"What's wrong with you? I mean, really? You've been completely off your game recently, and all you seem to care about is those files. Why are they so important?" The Huntress looked at Shisui with a small amount of concern.

"I'm afraid I cannot tell you that. It's highly classified. I'm sure you understand," Shisui responded.

"Yeah, yeah… More secret files for the Army, yes?" The Huntress sighed as she stood up. "Look, why don't we call it a day? As distracted as you are, I can see you've made excellent progress. I think we can take a break."

"Yeah, sure… I have other things to do today anyway… I've been putting them off for some time too," Shisui stood up and stretched before turning and walking away. "I'll see you around."

"Hey, wait a second! Aren't you forgetting something?!" The Huntress yelled.

"No, what would I–?" Shisui began, but stopped mid-sentence as the Huntress threw the bow he had been using at him. "What's this?"

"It's your bow. What kind of archer leaves their bow behind?" The Huntress smirked.

"Right, good point. Thanks," Shisui put the bow on his back, allowing it to clip into place next to his sword.

Shisui knew this day would come, and made the appropriate preparations by having Andreas fit a small magnetised wire throughout the sheathe on his back, so the bow could be carried around with relative ease.

"You can make the arrows yourself, or have your Blacksmith Friend make them for you. It's whatever," The Huntress shrugged as she walked off. "Later!"

Without another word, Shisui went his own way, knowing what he had to do next. There was, however, one stop he had to make beforehand…

* * *

"Yo, Shisui! It's been a while, man!" A familiar, slightly annoying voice called out as Shisui walked into the building.

"Kate… Is Mother Superior available?" Shisui scowled at Kate as she approached him, her hand raised in the air.

"Aww, c'mon man! Don't leave me hanging!" Kate moaned, seeing Shisui wasn't going to return her high-five.

"I'll ask again; is Mother Superior available?" Shisui repeated, his eyes narrowing in frustration.

"Man, what's got you so uptight? Ugh, fine! Wait here, and I'll go get her," Kate sighed.

"No, take me to her," Shisui commanded.

"Uhh, I don't think that's such a good idea…" Kate began, getting rather nervous.

"Oh, and why's that?" Shisui raised an eyebrow.

"Umm… Because… Oh, because Mother Superior is seeing someone! Yeah, and she told me not to disturb her!" Kate responded, snapping her fingers together.

"You really expect me to believe that?" Shisui looked at Kate with mock amusement.

"It's the truth, man! Just wait here, and I'll–" Kate began, but was interrupted by a voice that was _very_ familiar to Shisui.

"I appreciate all your help, Mother Superior. You don't know how much this means to me," The voice carried down the hallway, towards the entrance where Shisui and Kate were standing.

"It's quite alright, my child. You know the Sisters of the Light will always be there to help those who need it," Shisui could hear the voice of Mother Superior. He recognised that voice too; it belonged to the woman who Shisui had met after his confrontation with Freed Sellzen's lackeys several weeks ago.

"Yes, I know, but… You've done so much for me already. To say nothing of my– " The other person responded, but stopped dead as they entered the room where Shisui was stood with Kate.

"Hello, Ophelia. What are you doing here?" Shisui asked, greeting the ever-stoic Captain.

"Fuck," Kate sighed.

"Colonel? I should be asking you the same thing," Ophelia replied, sounding slightly panicked.

"I'm here on business. What about you?" Shisui looked at his Captain, who was still tense.

"Funny. I'm here on business too. Mother Superior was helping me with some problems Freed Sellzen's gang have been causing in the district," Ophelia said with an unreadable expression.

Shisui couldn't tell if Ophelia was lying to him or not. She had no reason to… Or did she? Either way, Shisui said nothing as Ophelia said her goodbyes and left the building.

"I apologise for the delay, Colonel. His Majesty did tell me you were coming to see me today. It appears I lost track of time," Mother Superior bowed her head in forgiveness.

"That's quite alright. I just wanted an update on the situation with Sellzen and Shahkulu. Have you anything to tell me?" Shisui asked.

"Ah, that… Yes, I have heard some troubling rumours. It appears Freed Sellzen is aware that you're in possession of a Dragon Slayer Lacrima. He's told his followers that he needs it to communicate with Indra," Mother Superior stated with a frown as she touched the crucifix around her neck and said a silent prayer.

"That's not good… I fear this information leak is getting out of hand. Granted, it's no secret I am in possession of a Dragon Slayer Lacrima, I'm pretty sure half the Royal Army know, but that makes me an even bigger target, and I cannot allow Sellzen or his men to harm those I care about, or those who associate with me. Especially now," Shisui shook his head.

"Ah, yes… Princess Rena's 18th Birthday Celebration in two days' time. I can understand why that would be an issue," Mother Superior nodded in understanding.

"Wait, what? A party? Why the hell wasn't I invited?!" Kate yelled in disbelief.

"Because this party is for people with class and elegance. Not for people who go around showing off their underwear every time they bend over," Shisui snapped.

"Well, I'm not wearing any panties right now. Does that help?" Kate asked in a serious manner.

"Sister Kate! Such lewd responses will not be tolerated in this convent! Go put some undergarments on and you will clean the chapel from top to bottom as repentance!" Mother Superior cried, utterly embarrassed by Kate's response.

"Chill, Mother Superior, I was only kidding. See?" Kate responded before lifting up her already too short habit to reveal a bright red pair of lace panties.

"Sister Kate! I am so sorry, Colonel!" Mother Superior bowed her head to Shisui yet again, before dragging Kate away by her arm.

"Hey! What's wrong?! I said I was wearing panties! What's the big deal?!" Kate protested as she was dragged off down the hall, her voice and protests fading away.

' _Well, that was all sorts of weird. But the fact Sellzen knows about my Lacrima… That's a big problem. Looks like I'll need to hide it somewhere…'_ Shisui thought as he exited the convent and made his way back to Mercurius.

While on his way back to the palace, Shisui was so wrapped up in his own thoughts that he never even noticed the pair of eyes that had been following him the moment he left the convent…

* * *

"Oh, good afternoon, Colonel," Sergeant Abberline greeted Shisui as he entered the palace.

"What's wrong, Freddie?" Shisui looked at the Sergeant, who looked very tired.

"Oh, nothing… Just interrogations are getting us nowhere, and the Major's stress levels are going through the roof. Ah, I almost forgot, the King would like to see you as soon as possible," Abberline replied as he walked alongside his commanding officer.

"Can it wait? I need to go and speak to Rena about this masquerade ball she's been planning," Shisui sighed.

"You still haven't been able to convince her to drop the idea?" Abberline asked.

"I haven't even been able to talk to her about it…" Shisui muttered as he ran a hand through his hair.

"What?! Sir, you've had an entire _month_ to do it! You know how dangerous this can be for those who attend!" Abberline exclaimed.

"Yes, I know! It's just…" Shisui sat down on the top step of the stairs he and Abberline had climbed. "It's just every time she talks about this party, she gets so excited. I don't want to ruin that for her."

"I understand, Colonel, but this is very risky," Abberline replied calmly. "I know Lady Rena has her heart set on this idea, but you need to talk her out of it."

"Yes, Freddie, I know… Look, I'll try and talk to her about it now, but if she says 'no', there's nothing more I can do. I'm aware I've fucked myself here, Sergeant, but that doesn't mean it's the end of the world. I want you to double the amount of officers on duty during the party. Check _everyone_ for weapons, or anything that can be used as a weapon. Confiscate anything dangerous, and if any weapons are found, you are to arrest the individual who is in possession of it, is that clear?" Shisui stood up and looked Abberline in the eye.

"Completely, sir. I'll go and inform my officers and I'll have a word with Major Armstrong too. It's only fair he's kept in the loop as well. As for His Majesty… What should I tell him?" Abberline looked at Shisui, awaiting his answer.

"I don't know… Is he aware of the situation with Sellzen?" Shisui asked.

"Situation, sir?" Abberline repeated, looking confused.

"I was afraid of that… Ok, tell him I'll be along to see him after I've spoken to Rena," Shisui said.

"As you wish, Colonel," Abberline responded, saluting Shisui before rushing down the steps and off to complete his tasks.

"Now for the hard part…" Shisui sighed as he turned around and made his way over to the bedroom wing to find Rena.

* * *

"Yes? Come in!" Rena called out when she heard a knock on her bedroom door. "Oh, Shisui! Quick, without thinking, thigh highs or nothing?"

"Wait, what?" Shisui looked at Rena, trying to process what she just said.

"I said not to think about it. I wanted your opinion on whether or not I should wear thigh highs with my dress for the party," Rena replied with a smile.

"Oh, right… Uhh, I don't – Wait, why are you asking me?" Shisui looked at Rena with a raised eyebrow.

"Well, I was going to ask Her Majesty, but she's not going to be accompanying me," Rena responded.

"Ok, and who is? Will you be taking Princess Hisui?" Shisui asked.

"As adorable as that would be, no. Lieutenant Arcadios has asked to look after Hisui. I was hoping you would accompany me," Rena responded, suddenly looking bashful.

"What? Why me? Wouldn't you want someone more… I don't know, sophisticated?" Shisui asked, leaning up against the wall.

"Who says you're not sophisticated?" Rena remarked.

"Me. At best I'm a tactician who isn't afraid to get their hands dirty. Even calling me a 'soldier' is too much of a stretch, in my opinion," Shisui muttered.

"Hey… sophistication isn't just about knowing how to act like nobility. It's being elegant and graceful and holding yourself in high esteem," Rena replied as she walked over to Shisui, took his hand and led him to the edge of her bed.

"Elegance and grace… I doubt that's how it was when I killed that man who attacked you and Her Majesty in the market last month," Shisui said with a dry laugh.

"No, but the way you maintained composure when facing him certainly was," Rena whispered, still holding onto Shisui's hand. "In all honesty, I couldn't think of anyone better than you to go with."

"Oh, uhh, right… Well, I suppose it wouldn't be so bad. Sergeant Abberline and Major Armstrong will be checking everyone thoroughly, Arcadios will be with Hisui, and I'm sure Ophelia and Merlin will be present too. Alright, Rena, I'm in," Shisui responded, which made Rena's face light up with joy.

"Ahhh! Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Rena squealed with delight before throwing her arms around Shisui and hugged him tightly.

Shisui sat there and said nothing, but he hesitantly returned the hug. Part of him enjoyed being this close to Rena, while the other half felt incredibly awkward.

' _You're only doing this because she asked. That's all. It'll be easier to keep her safe if you're close to her…'_ Shisui thought to himself over and over.

"Oh, I almost forgot! You'll need a mask!" Rena spoke up suddenly, jumping up and walking over to the other side of the room.

"Err, actually, Rena… I already have one," Shisui muttered, holding up the mask he had at his side.

"Uhh, I don't think so. If you wear that, then everyone is going to know who you are. That's not the point of masquerade. And don't even get me started on what that mask does to your voice. Can you say 'obvious and frightening'?" Rena chided. "Let me see, where did I put it? Aha, I found it!"

Rena returned to Shisui and sat down on the bed, a little closer than she was before, but Shisui said nothing. When Rena handed him the mask, he looked at her incredulously.

"Really?" Shisui held up the mask to show Rena.

"Yes, what about it?" Rena replied, cocking her head to the side slightly.

"You think my mask is obvious and frightening, but this isn't?" Shisui raised an eyebrow.

"What's wrong with it?" Rena asked innocently.

"Uhh, Rena, look at it! I can't tell if it's meant to be a Dragon or a Demon!" Shisui cried, shaking the mask in front of her.

The mask Rena had given Shisui was intricately designed and had big round eyes and two sets of sharp fangs. The mask itself was black and gold, but had red accents around the eyes and the mouth.

"I thought that too, which is why it's perfect for you!" Rena smiled.

"Huh?" Shisui looked at Rena dumbly.

"Well, think about it; you're a Dragon, but when you fight, you're like a Demon. I thought it was perfect," Rena explained.

"I don't know if I should be flattered or insulted," Shisui muttered.

"Oh, don't be like that," Rena laughed. "Actually, there's one more thing I have for you, but you'll have to wait until the night of the party, ok?"

"Yeah, sure… I'm guessing you're not going to tell me what it is?" Shisui looked at Rena, who laughed again.

"Sorry, but you'll just have to wait and see. I hope you'll like it," Rena smiled as she stood up. "Right, I'm going to finish deciding on what I'm going to wear. I assume you have something else to do too?"

"Yeah, His Majesty was looking for me. I said I'd come find him after I'd been to see you, so looks like I'll be going to see him now," Shisui sighed as he stood up.

"Aww, aren't you sweet," Rena giggled. "I'll see you later, Shisui."

"See you later. Don't stress over your outfit; I'm sure you'll look great with whatever you choose," Shisui waved as he walked out of Rena's room.

As he left Rena's room and walked down the hall towards the Throne Room, a route he knew all too well by now, Shisui had a content smile on his face… Until he realised what the whole point of him going to see Rena was for.

"SHIT!" Shisui yelled, slamming his fist into the wall in anger.

He had totally forgotten he was meant to talk Rena out of having the party. He had done the exact opposite.

* * *

Shisui's meeting with the King had been uneventful. As he thought, Toma had no idea Freed Sellzen was aware of Shisui being in possession of a Dragon Slayer Lacrima, but upon learning that, the idea of there being a traitor within the Royal Army was looking to be a very real possibility.

Toma had ordered Arcadios to start vetting all personnel, and to keep a lid on any talks of their being a traitor. The less who knew meant it'd be easier to narrow down who was feeding information back to Freed and his cult.

Shisui was left to do his own thing for the time being, as Toma had told him he was currently in the middle of working out an arrangement that would prove to be beneficial for everyone. Shisui had no qualms about that, as it meant he'd have more time to conduct his own investigations in the city.

It was now the day before Rena's party, and Shisui decided to take a little trip into the Royal Imperial District to see if he could find anywhere that would need to be sealed off to stop any trespassers from entering the palace.

As he walked down the back alleyways, thoroughly checking every nook and cranny, Shisui felt like he was being watched, and he was rarely wrong when it came to that sort of thing.

"I know you're there. Show yourself!" Shisui snapped, turning to look at a nearby trashcan, which had been the hiding place of his stalker.

The person who had been following Shisui was a teenage boy, who looked to be the same age as him. He had brown hair that had a style that could only be considered 'messy' and brown eyes. He wore a red t-shirt, black jeans and a pair of white sneakers. What struck Shisui as odd was the boy's demeanour. Stalkers were usually brash and over-confident. This kid looked like he was nervous and afraid.

"What do you want, boy?" Shisui asked, his voice altered by the mask he wore.

"Heh, so you're Shisui, are you?" The boy responded, trying to put on a brave front.

"Answer the question, boy," Shisui growled, taken aback by the fact this stranger knew his name.

"Freed said I'd find you skulking around. He told me I could corner you in one of these alleyways…" The boy muttered, chuckling to himself as if he were mad.

"So, you're one of Sellzen's bootlickers, are you?" Shisui breathed. He inwardly cursed himself for not realising sooner.

"Look, I'll be straight with you; I got nothing against you, and I think Freed is an asshole, but he said I had to kill you, if I had any hope of seeing my girls again," the boy muttered.

"And what makes you think I'm going to roll over and die?" Shisui hissed, one hand going to his sword, and the other hanging at his side, ready to strike.

"Freed tells me you have the power of a dragon. That's funny; so do I," the boy grinned and immediately his left hand was engulfed in a flash of green light. When the light subsided, a dark red gauntlet had appeared on his hand.

"That has the power of a dragon? Don't make me laugh," Shisui scoffed, lowering the hand that was on the hilt of his sword. "I really should kill you; send a message to your master… But if Sellzen really did send you to kill me, I think sending you back like a dog with its tail between its legs would be sufficient enough."

"You underestimate my power!" The boy shouted as he charged at Shisui, ready to strike him with the gauntlet on his left hand, which glowed momentarily before he attacked.

Shisui put his hand up and took the punch without too much trouble, however, as soon as Shisui touched the gauntlet, it glowed bright red, and Shisui heard the roar of a dragon flooding his ears.

"What… The hell?" Shisui grimaced as he could feel the evil of the dragon corrupting his very being, driving him to his knees as the roar intensified.

Shisui wasn't about to give up though. Not against some little bastard who worked for Sellzen. Even as the corruption began to overwhelm him, Shisui fought back, his hand still clutching the boy's gauntlet, the dragon roar getting louder and more powerful by the minute.

"Just give it up! Just die so I can go home back to my girls!" The boy cried in desperation.

"Go… Go fuck yourself," Shisui growled, head-butting the boy on the nose, which sent him falling back and out of Shisui's grasp.

The moment Shisui let go of the gauntlet, the roaring stopped. He felt a great weight lift off of him, and he collapsed to his knees, breathing heavily.

"What in the hell… What in the hell was that?" Shisui gasped, looking down at the ground, using his hands to stop him from collapsing into the dirt himself. "Note to self; don't touch that fucking thing again."

"Owww! You asshole! Ugh, I think you broke my nose!" The boy groaned, his voice muffled by his free hand that was covering his nose in an attempt to stop it from bleeding. That was useless though, for his had was now covered in so much blood it was as red as his gauntlet.

"I don't have time for this…" Shisui muttered as he held up a his left hand, which started pulling in ethernano from the air around him. "Light and Earth; twin layer magic circle… Divine Tempest Magic; Shattered Earth!"

A white and light brown magic circle covered the boy; white in the air and light brown on the ground, and began to glow. After a few seconds, the earth beneath the boy began to crack, eventually breaking and sending up a cloud of dirt and shards of rock, which began to rain down in the area between the two magic circles.

After the cloud of dust had dissipated, there was a large crater in the earth, and the boy was in the centre. The initial explosion had knocked him down, but it was the shards of earth that finished it. The boy was still alive, but was unconscious and covered in cuts.

"Dammit… It's been a while since I've had to use that. I really shouldn't have used it in the state I'm in, but I had no choice," Shisui grunted as he forced himself to stand.

' _This kid's gauntlet really did a number on me… God damn you, Freed Sellzen. Are you that much of a bitch you send kids to face me?'_ Shisui inwardly growled as he looked at the unconscious boy in the crater. _'Fuck it. I need to get back to Mercurius. I need to make sure the Lacrima is safe…'_

Leaving the boy to his fate at the hands of Freed Sellzen, Shisui staggered off back to the palace. He wasn't about to let Freed get his hands on that Lacrima. If he did, Shisui knew it would spell doom for the world…

* * *

"Shisui?! Good heavens, what happened to you?!" Major Armstrong exclaimed as he saw Shisui stumble back into the palace grounds.

"Ugh, one of Sellzen's cult attacked me. He… Said Sellzen knew where I would be," Shisui mumbled, barely able to stand now.

"Are you hurt? I'll take you to Doctor Malfatto immediately!" Armstrong suggested.

"No, I'm fine. I just… Used too much energy. I just need to rest for a while," Shisui sighed as the Major helped him over to the steps that led to the palace doors and sat him down.

"Alright, but tell me what happened; His Majesty needs to know about this," Armstrong stated.

"Can we not? I mean, really, it's not a big deal. The kid that was sent to deal with me seemed like he had no choice in the matter. He kept saying something about 'his girls', whatever that means. Sounds to me like his hands were tied," Shisui sat down and hung his head low, resting it on his arms which were supported by his knees.

"What happened to this boy? We should interrogate him," Armstrong suggested.

"What would be the point, Major?" Shisui looked at Armstrong before continuing. "He looked like he was nothing more than a low-level grunt, someone Freed sees as disposable. Not only that, but of Freed was in fact using him as a puppet, I doubt he'd be dumb enough to reveal all his plans and secrets to the kid. Even he isn't _that_ stupid."

"Hmm, I suppose you're right…" Armstrong sighed heavily. "What happened to the boy?"

"I knocked him out. I could have killed him, but he was sent to eliminate me, and take that Lacrima I own. He fucked up and will now suffer the consequences of his failure. It's funny… He claimed he had the power of a dragon too," Shisui let out a dry laugh.

"What?! You mean he is a Dragon Slayer like you?" Armstrong gasped.

"Pfft, fuck no. He had no magic, except for a dark red gauntlet that would glow every so often. That being said, it's because of that gauntlet I'm in this state," Shisui replied.

"His gauntlet did this to you? How?" Armstrong asked.

"Hell if I know. He tried to punch me with it, I blocked it with my hand, all of the sudden I hear this roar that got louder the longer I held on, and I felt myself being corrupted by a dark power. As soon as I let go, it felt like I had no energy left," Shisui explained.

"Hmm… Perhaps this gauntlet is a special tool used to subdue Dragon Slayers and weaken them. It's a possibility, no?" Armstrong suggested.

"Perhaps… But it's not important. What is important is making sure Rena's party tomorrow is completely locked down. I failed to get Rena to reconsider, so I want to make doubly sure nothing goes wrong," Shisui stood up, stumbling a bit.

"You needn't worry, sir. Sergeant Abberline and his men are working tirelessly to ensure security is at its absolute maximum. Not even an ant will be able to get in without us knowing about it," Armstrong reassured.

"I hope so, Major… I hope so…" Shisui shook his head and stumbled off into Mercurius to return to his quarters for some rest. He knew he was going to need it…

* * *

The night of Rena's party finally arrived, and it was as if half of the Royal Imperial District had been invited. There were thousands of people crowding around the main gate of Mercurius, all dressed up and looking forward to celebrating both the new year, and the day their Princess Rena finally became a woman.

As per Sergeant Abberline's instruction, every entrance in and out of the palace grounds was covered by soldiers, and there were several groups of guards stationed in the gardens and the surrounding area around Mercurius, as well as in areas inside the palace both Shisui and Major Armstrong had marked as 'Restricted', and anyone caught in a Restricted Area was to be immediately detained for questioning, with no exceptions, as all guests were made aware of where these areas were.

With all these extra measures in place, Shisui felt a little more relaxed than normal, which was a good thing. However, the effects from yesterday still hadn't completely cleared. He'd occasionally become dizzy, as his head would fill with the sound of the dragon roar again, albeit not as intense, and part of him still felt drained.

He wasn't about to let that bother him though. He had a duty to keep Rena safe, and he didn't want to let her down either. So, instead of getting more rest, he was on his way to Rena's room, as it was almost time for her to make her appearance.

"Rena, it's me," Shisui called out as he knocked twice and opened the door.

"Oh, perfect timing! I need your help!" Rena spoke, her voice sounding strained.

"Ok, what's up?" Shisui asked as he walked in and saw Rena flailing about.

"Do me up," Rena replied, waving her arms behind her back to the zip that was halfway up her back.

With a small laugh, Shisui stepped over behind Rena and zipped up her dress, which he was able to see her entire dress, thanks to the giant mirror they were standing in front of.

Rena was wearing a long, ankle length red dress with what appeared to be a golden dragon on one side, while the other side of her dress was split all the way up to her upper thigh, showing her entire leg and the black heels she was wearing. Around her neck was a gold chain with a black dragon head pendant. She was already wearing her mask too.

However, Shisui noticed something different about Rena. Her hair, which was usually a brownish-red was now a deep shade of red, almost matching the colour of her dress, but that wasn't all. Her entire figure looked a lot more curvaceous and feminine, and her breasts were much bigger than he remembered, and Shisui knew she wasn't wearing a bra, since there were no straps across her back when he zipped her up.

Shisui became very confused, but he knew it was Rena. She smelled the same, albeit she was wearing perfume; lilac and gooseberries to be exact, and her voice sounded exactly the same. Was the dress she was wearing magical or something? If so, why would she need to wear such a thing.

"Are you alright, Shisui?" Rena whispered, putting a hand up to his face as they both stared at each other through the mirror.

"What? Oh, yeah… I'm alright. You look… Different," Shisui commented dumbly.

"Oh, you mean my hair? I'm so glad you noticed, I thought I'd try something new," Rena replied.

"That's not what… Ahem, so I see you've picked an interesting mask," Shisui changed the subject.

"Thank you! I thought this mask was nice, so I decided to pick it," Rena giggled.

"Not just nice; that's a mask of Aphrodite. Goddess of Love and Beauty," Shisui responded.

"Ah, so you do know?" Rena turned and looked Shisui in the eyes. He could tell just by looking at her she was smiling widely. "Where's your mask?"

"Here," Shisui pointed to his belt, which had his mask hanging off of it. "I thought I'd wait until we were actually ready before putting it on."

"Yes, speaking of, you just reminded me. Wait here," Rena motioned for Shisui to remain where he was as she left to go to her walk-in wardrobe, her high heels clicking on the marble floor as she walked.

"What are you doing? We've got to head down soon!" Shisui called out, pulling up the sleeve of his right arm before scratching an itch. He knew he was starting to get nervous.

"I found it! Ok, close your eyes!" Rena shouted from her wardrobe.

"Rena! We don't have time for this!" Shisui sighed.

"Just do it!" Rena replied.

With a small growl, Shisui did as he was told and waited. Rena must have been watching him, as he could hear her walk over to him.

"Ok, open your eyes," Rena whispered.

Shisui opened his eyes and looked at Rena with confusion. She had something in her hands. It was a folded piece of black cloth with red on the other side and a symbol on top, facing Shisui. It was a symbol of a golden lion's head, surrounded by a wreath and two spears that formed and 'X' shape behind the lion's head, both of which were also gold. Shisui had seen this symbol before.

"Wait, this is…" Shisui muttered.

"Yes, it is a cloak that bears the coat of arms for the Hiyama Clan. I want you to have it," Rena stated, offering the cloak to Shisui.

"Rena, I… I can't possibly," Shisui started.

"Yes, you can… I want you to have it. I made this choice by myself, and I don't think there's anyone else more worthy to wear that than you," Rena replied, her eyes shining brightly.

"I… Thank you, Rena," Shisui whispered as he took the cloak and hung it over his left shoulder, covering the left side of his body down to his thigh with a symbol of a golden lion.

"Hmm, that cloak suits you. I think you would have made an excellent Hiyama," Rena took his right hand and held it in both of hers. "What's this?"

Shisui forgot to roll his right sleeve back down, so Rena had seen the tattoo he had been given by The Huntress. The tattoo of a sawblade with three stars, a sword, and a snake coiled around the entirety of the sword.

"It's a tattoo… I wasn't exactly a willing participant," Shisui sighed.

"Ooh, a rebellious side, hmm? Tell me more," Rena purred, getting closer to Shisui.

"No, nothing like that. It was done by someone so they could tell me apart from someone else they knew. Seemed kind of extreme to me, but it's grown on me," Shisui shrugged.

"Hmm, then perhaps the 'Spear' isn't the right term for you. How about 'The Sword of Fiore'? An 'Espada'…" Rena muttered.

"An Espada? Hmm, I like that…" Shisui smirked.

"Good, then it's settled. You shall be the Hiyama 'Espada'," Rena declared with pride.

"Alright, as proud as you are, we really must be going. Is there anything else you need?" Shisui asked.

"Nope! We're good to go!" Rena cried happily as she clung to Shisui's right arm, and pulled the sleeve down for him. "Oh, your mask?"

"Yes, thank you…" Shisui reached down and picked up the mask from his belt, putting in on before looking at Rena. "Well let's go, Princess."

As both Shisui and Rena walked down the halls of Mercurius to attend the party, little did either of them know that the events that were to take place that night were going to change their lives forever.

* * *

Shisui and Rena arrived at the ballroom, inside of which people had gathered for the party, Rena stopped at the door, confusing Shisui.

"Is something wrong?" Shisui asked.

"Uhh, I forgot to tell you something," Rena muttered.

"What…?" Shisui looked at Rena, feeling uneasy.

"Well, I know how you like to keep your name secret, which is why only the Royal Family and those on the Taskforce know your real name and whatnot… So, I kind of took the liberty of giving you a different name for tonight," Rena laughed nervously.

"Rena, what have you done?" Shisui asked, now beginning to worry.

Shisui got his answer, but it wasn't from Rena. Before she could respond, the doors to the ballroom slowly opened and a voice called out from inside.

"Now, ladies and gentlemen, allow me to introduce the individual for whom we have gathered here this for, along with her partner. It is with great honour I announce the arrival of Her Majesty, Princess Rena K. Fiore and Lord Kamina Hiyama!" A man announced.

"'Lord Kamina Hiyama'? Really?" Shisui looked at Rena.

"What? I like it. Plus it'll make the people think the Hiyama Clan are still present in Fiore," Rena shrugged.

"Yeah, but you seem to be forgetting; the people thought the Hiyama were killed in the War of the Desert Rose. They don't know you survived, but making me out to be the last Hiyama will make people start to ask questions," Shisui replied.

"Don't worry, I've got this all figured out! Now let's go!" Rena pulled Shisui into the ballroom, where he was greeted with hundreds of people in expensive attire, all applauding Rena, and by extension him, but also looking at him in awe. As they descended the staircase, Shisui could hear some comments the guests were making.

"What? I thought the Hiyama were all killed…"

"As did I, but look at the cloak he's wearing; that's the same cloak Lady Tsuo always wore. Only a Hiyama would have that."

"So, where has this Kamina Hiyama been all these years?"

"Your guess is as good as mine…"

"Rena, I don't think they're buying it," Shisui whispered as they both walked across the ballroom floor.

"Don't worry, my dear Espada… We'll just need to convince them," Rena replied, holding Shisui's hand.

"Uh-huh, and how are we going to do that?" Shisui asked.

"Rena! Rena!" A voice called out.

Shisui turned and saw a girl who was Rena's age crossing the room, and waving at Rena with a bright smile on her face. The girl had long, thick blonde hair and a blue glass hairclip that was shaped like a butterfly in her hair. She was wearing a long, baby blue ball gown, and her mask was just a simple blue and silver one which only covered half her face, but accentuated her blue eyes. Shisui came to the conclusion this girl loved the colour blue.

"Sena, how are you my darling?" Rena asked as the girl ran up to Rena and hugged her.

"So, this is the bodyguard you've been telling me about?" Sena asked, looking at Shisui with a sly smile.

"Oh, Sena… Straight to the point, aren't you? Yes, Kamina is my personal bodyguard. But _only_ a bodyguard," Rena stated, knowing what Sena was thinking.

"You never told me he was a Hiyama!" Sena cried, looking at the cloak in awe.

"You didn't ask," Rena shrugged.

' _Just how long has she been planning this?'_ Shisui looked at the two girls, thankful for the mask he was wearing.

"You don't say much, do you? You're just like my Kodaka," Sena looked at Shisui.

"It's not my job to talk. My job is to protect Princess Rena," Shisui replied.

"How exactly is he like your boyfriend, Sena?" Rena asked.

"Look at him! Tall, intimidating, brooding. Looks like we have similar tastes in men after all, huh? Huuuuuh?" Sena nudged Rena, giggling as she teased her.

"You're terrible, Sena," Rena laughed.

"I'm sorry, but who are you exactly?" Shisui looked at Sena, who looked offended.

"Rena! I'm hurt! You didn't tell him who I was?" Sena cried, putting a hand over her large chest, feigning hurt.

"Allow me to right that wrong then. Kamina Hiyama, this is my close friend Sena Kashiwazaki," Rena introduced the two.

"I see… It's a pleasure, Lady Kashiwazaki," Shisui bowed slightly.

"Oh, Rena! You've trained him well!" Sena laughed, clapping at Shisui's greeting.

"Excuse me?" Shisui growled. "I'm not her bloody dog."

"Sena, please… Kamina is both a Hiyama and a soldier. I didn't 'train' him to do anything. He knows how to show respect," Rena intervened, stepping in front of Shisui, who was glaring at Sena.

"Oh, my… He _is_ just like my Kodaka!" Sena giggled.

' _This girl is a moron... How Rena became friends with her is beyond me,'_ Shisui thought.

"Ooh, but look at you! Aren't you looking sexy tonight?! I adore your hair colour too!" Sena gushed, fawning over Rena and how she looked.

"Excuse me, but did I hear that announcement correctly? You're a Hiyama?" A man approached Shisui and asked.

The man was wearing a regular suit with a long black coat, and was wearing a top hat. He had a walking cane with him, and his sliver hair hung down the sides of his head, framing his mask that looked like a fox.

"Yes, that's correct. Who are you?" Shisui asked.

"Ah, where are my manners? I am Count Ernst Rosenberg. A pleasure, Lord Hiyama," Rosenberg took Shisui's hand and shook it firmly. "I must say, I am surprised; I thought all the Hiyama died in the War of the Desert Rose back in '75."

"I'm not someone who dies so easily," Shisui replied, narrowing his eyes.

"An appropriate response from the 'Spear of Fiore'," Count Rosenberg laughed.

"No, that titled is reserved for Lady Tsuo. I am the 'Sword of Fiore'. The Kingdom's Espada," Shisui corrected.

"Oh, very interesting. Well, Lord Espada, I hope you'll be ready to give your life to protect the Kingdom, should the need arise," Rosenberg looked at Shisui, his red eyes looking rather unsettling.

"Excuse me? Do you know something we don't Count Rosenberg?" Shisui looked at the man closely.

"Come now, my Lord; let's not mince words! I speak of these vile gangs who have turned this city into chaos and rot. They won't give up their territories so easily, I'd imagine," Rosenberg replied.

"No, but I'm afraid that is not my concern. Princess Rena's safety and wellbeing is what I'm concerned with, my good Count," Shisui stated.

"Ah, yes… The lovely Princess Rena. I wish you the most pleasant of celebrations, Your Royal Highness," Rosenberg bowed, removing his top hat as he did so.

"Thank you, Count Rosenberg. You do me a great honour," Rena replied, bowing in return.

"Yes, well… As much fun as this is, I must be off. I'd very much like to speak with His Majesty tonight. Enjoy your night, everyone," Rosenberg nodded at the two girls, before staring at Shisui for an unusually long time before leaving.

"Who was that?" Shisui asked, looking at Rena.

"Ooh, I know who he is! Count Ernst Rosenberg is one of daddy's business partners!" Sena interrupted.

"I see…" Shisui muttered as he turned to look for the Count, who had disappeared.

"What's wrong, Kamina?" Rena looked at Shisui with concern.

"It's nothing. Don't worry," Shisui turned to Rena, putting the Count out of mind. "Now, isn't it proper etiquette for the guest of honour to have the first dance?"

* * *

A couple of hours later, and Rena's party was in full swing. Rena and Shisui shared their first dance together, and he had surprised Rena with just how good he was on his feet. After that, everyone began to join in the festivities.

Shisui couldn't help but laugh seeing Arcadios dancing with Hisui. Not just because of the size mismatch, but for some bizarre reason, Arcadios was wearing a mask that looked like a pumpkin. Shisui figured it was for Hisui's entertainment.

A few times during the night, Shisui had caught glimpses of Count Ernst Rosenberg. He didn't look out of place, he was surrounded by many people, and they were all laughing and conversing. Shisui definitely felt uneasy around the man, but it's not the first time he's met people like that.

"Excuse me, Colonel… Might I have a word with you?" A deep voice whispered from in the shadows.

"Major? What's the matter?" Shisui whispered, stepping into the shadows and using his Magic to become invisible to all but the Major.

"How is everything going?" The Major asked.

"Fine. The Princess is happy, and all seems to be normal. Tell me, do you know this Count Rosenberg?" Shisui asked.

"Indeed. He's a bit of an odd one, but he's no trouble. Why? Do you have reason to think something is wrong?" The Major looked at Shisui.

"No… I don't… I'm not sure. Something about him isn't right, but I don't know what that something is…" Shisui muttered, looking at the Count.

"I will assume you've noticed the man's bodyguard?" Armstrong asked.

"I have. The man in the shadows on the other side of the room, wearing the eagle mask?" Shisui looked to see the very same man standing on his own, watching the Count like the eagle his mask represented.

"Yes, I think – Hold on… What's going on?" Armstrong looked at the Count, who appeared to be leaving the ballroom.

"I'll go back to the Princess. Where is Ophelia?" Shisui asked.

"She's around… I'll bring her up to date on what we just discussed," Armstrong said.

"Good. Tell Arcadios too, and keep an eye on Rosenberg," Shisui commanded as he stepped out from the shadows and began walking back to Rena, easily manoeuvring through the throng of guests.

"Ladies and gentlemen! Can I have your attention please?" Count Rosenberg called out, standing at the top of the stairs.

' _What's he doing?'_ Shisui thought as he watched the man's every move.

"Ah, there you are… What did the Major want?" Rena asked as Shisui returned to her side.

"He just wanted an update. What's Rosenberg up to?" Shisui asked, his eyes not leaving the man who was talking.

"I just wanted to say thanks and a huge congratulations to Princess Rena K. Fiore for hosting this celebration and what it's for. I'm sure we can all agree we needed such a distraction in this time of difficulty our great Crocus is facing," Rosenberg declared, receiving a light applause.

"Is this normal for these types of parties?" Shisui whispered.

"Yes, it's normal. But it's the first time Count Rosenberg has made such an announcement. He usually keeps to himself," Rena responded.

"This is a difficult time we live in. Our city, plagued by gangs, and while the Army is doing everything it can, it's just not enough. Still, three gangs remain, their power and corruption growing by the day, while the rest of you do nothing. It's not right," Rosenberg continued, getting a confused murmur from the audience.

Shisui watched the Count very closely. He wasn't familiar with how the nobles did things, but he was certain this wasn't something they did.

"However, all is not lost. After all, we have the so-called 'Sword of Fiore' protecting the Royal Family. So, I would like to say a big thank you to Lord Kamina Hiyama for fulfilling the sacred duty of Espada to the Kingdom. No, that's not right…" Count Rosenberg laughed.

Shisui was starting to feel very uncomfortable. Something wasn't right. He could see Rosenberg was looking right at him.

"Rena, go find Major Armstrong. _Now_." Shisui commanded.

"What's wrong?" Rena asked, worry creeping into her voice.

"I do apologise, for it seems I have been misinformed. There is someone who is doing what they can to bring these gangs down. An officer of the King's Army who works tirelessly to see these criminals brought to justice. You might not know him, for he works from the shadows, keeping this city safe. Well, _trying_ to…" The Count carried on his speech, the audience becoming very confused.

"Hey… What's going on?" Rena tugged on Shisui's arm, starting to sound scared.

"This officer is present right now, actually. You all know him as Lord Kamina Hiyama, but I…" Rosenberg muttered as he removed his mask, revealing a face Shisui had only ever seen once, but would know anywhere in the world. "I know him as Colonel Shisui Karasuma."

"Sellzen…" Shisui hissed, gritting his teeth in anger. He _knew_ something wasn't right.

"Colonel, you have something I want, and I won't leave until I have it…" Sellzen chuckled, taking a step back before raising a hand up in the air. "NOW, MY ACOLYTES! SHOW THESE FOOLS THE POWER OF LORD INDRA!"

The moment Sellzen gave the command, the windows in the room shattered as people leapt into the ballroom, all carrying weapons. Within seconds, Sellzen's followers had begun killing people. The moment the first body dropped, the room had erupted into chaos; blood and screams were everywhere.

"Rena, stay near me!" Shisui roared as he turned to see a man charging at Rena, brandishing a knife.

In three steps, Shisui closed the distance between him and the attacked and lifted his left arm up, using the Hiyama Cloak as a distraction, which gave him the opening he needed. Thrusting his hand forward, Shisui released his wrist blade, and buried it in the man's eye, following up by opening the man's throat with his other blade.

Blood sprayed all over Shisui, but Rena was unharmed. He turned and saw Major Armstrong nearby, who had just dispatched a man by crushing his skull with his two massive hands.

"MAJOR! GET RENA OUT OF HERE, NOW!" Shisui yelled, getting a nod from the large man.

"Shisui! Be careful! Promise you'll come back to me!" Rena cried out as the Major picked her up and carried her off.

' _I will not die here… I will not die, but our enemies will…'_ Shisui thought as he reached for his sword, only to remember it wasn't there.

"Fuck… That's right, I wasn't supposed to be carrying weapons tonight. I need my sword, and that Lacrima," Shisui muttered as he turned to find Sellzen, who was nowhere to be seen.

Shisui only just managed to dive out of the way of a big brute who had swung a battle-axe in an attempt to cleave Shisui in half. Now the man had his weapon stuck in the ground and was defenceless.

Releasing the blade on his left, Shisui grabbed the shaft as it slid out and removed the blade off its track and held it like a knife before he stabbed the man in the heart six times, covering himself in more blood. He began to worry just how many of Freed's men had infiltrated the palace, as some of them had been the guests as well. It was absolute chaos, but Shisui needed his sword and that Lacrima.

Reattaching the blade and sheathing it, Shisui took off up towards the steps, leaping over three of Freed's men, stabbing two in the spine, killing them both and kicking the third in the face, as he pushed the man to the ground, crushing his skull between the marble floor and his boot. Blood and brain matter stained the floor, but that was the least of Shisui's worries.

* * *

Fortunately for Shisui, the palace was large, and it seems Freed's men had been hoping to cause enough chaos to give the man enough time to look for the Lacrima. Shisui, however, was dispatching Freed's men with little to no effort, their blood staining his clothes more and more as he killed. Shisui knew where the Lacrima was, so getting to it was easy.

Shisui had made it to Rena's room, and he burst in without stopping, finding the room to be empty and untouched. He ran over to Rena's bed and grabbed his sword, and his Focus, before turning to the piano and opening the lid to find the Lacrima hidden inside.

As soon as Shisui grabbed the Lacrima, he felt all the energy being sucked from his body again, just like the first time he found it. This time, however, his ears were filled with the roar of a dragon which got louder and louder, until…

" _LISTEN TO ME! HE'S CLOSE! I CAN FEEL IT!"_ A voice roared in Shisui's head.

" _What the hell?"_ Shisui thought.

" _AHH, YOU CAN FINALLY HEAR ME, CAN YOU?! GOOD, NOW PAY ATTENTION, OTHERWISE YOU'RE GOING TO DIE!"_ The voice roared.

Shisui had no time to respond, as he heard footsteps and turned around to face the door, and met a familiar face.

"You… What are you doing here?" Shisui growled, unsheathing his sword.

"I told you before, I have nothing against you. Just give me the Lacrima so I can save my girls," the intruder demanded, holding out his hand. It was the same boy who attacked him the other day.

" _GRRR… LISTEN TO ME, BOY. WHEN HE SUMMONS HIS GAUNTLET, I NEED YOU TO GRAB HOLD OF IT. IF YOU CAN DO THAT, I GUARANTEE YOU'LL BE ABLE TO WIN!"_ The voice in Shisui's head growled.

" _Who the hell are you anyway?"_ Shisui thought, hoping he could communicate with the voice.

" _ENOUGH WITH YOUR INANE PRATTLE, BOTH OF YOU! WE HAVE INTRUDERS TO KILL!"_ A second voice roared.

" _Oh, great, there's more of you?"_ Shisui grimaced, a sharp pain ran through his head.

" _OHH, HAHAHAHAHA! IT'S GOOD TO HEAR YOUR VOICE AGAIN! … YOU OLD ROGUE, IT'S BEEN TOO LONG!"_ The first voice roared with a laugh. Shisui couldn't hear the name the voice said.

" _INDEED… THE UNHOLY TRINITY, TOGETHER AGAIN AT LAST… ARGH! ENOUGH OF THIS…! WE HAVE A JOB TO DO!"_ The second voice roared. Again, Shisui couldn't make out the name that was spoken.

"Fine, refuse! I'll kill you if I have to!" The boy yelled and activated his gauntlet again before charging at Shisui, the orb in the middle of the gauntlet emitting a bright green glow.

" _WAIT FOR IT… WAIT… NOW! GRAB IT NOW!"_ The first voice roared as the boy threw a punch at Shisui.

Just like last time, as the punch came towards Shisui, he lifted his hand and grabbed the hand of the boy. Upon contact, a dark red light engulfed the two fighters.

" _YES… YES! I CAN FEEL MY POWER RETUNING TO ME! GIVE ME BACK MY POWER! ALL OF IT!"_ The first voice roared in twisted joy.

" _NOW, BOY! FINISH HIM OFF! WE DON'T HAVE TIME TO SCREW AROUND!"_ The second voice roared.

For some reason, Shisui was compelled to listen to the voice. Perhaps it was because he could feel a small fraction of power being siphoned off to him, but he did as he was told. Using the boy's own momentum against him, Shisui pulled the boy down and lifted his sword up at the same time.

The kill was clean, and over in an instant. The boy's head parted from his shoulders and an eruption of blood came from the body, raining down over Shisui, and the floor. The body collapsed next to Shisui, while the head rolled away, coming to a stop a few feet from the body.

" _GLORIOUS! SIMPLY GLORIOUS! I'D EXPECT NOTHING LESS FROM YOU!"_ The first voice roared in amazement.

" _You wanna tell me who the hell you two are? What is this 'Unholy Trinity' you mentioned before?"_ Shisui asked the voices.

" _NOW IS NOT THE TIME FOR THIS, YOU FOOLS! BOY, YOUR WOMAN IS IN DANGER! YOU NEED TO GO TO HER!"_ The second voice roared in anger.

Needing no other prompt, Shisui took off in a run, now carrying his sword, and the Lacrima safe in his possession. If Rena needed his help, there was no way he was going to ignore such a request, even if it was from a voice inside his head.

Even through the scent of blood and death, Shisui knew where Rena was. He knew her scent and would have been able to pick it out from anywhere. He was going in the right direction.

He turned a corner and saw a dead officer. He carried on and started seeing more and more. Shisui started to figure out who they were.

" _YES, THESE MEN WERE PROTECTING THE GIRL… IF YOU HURRY, YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO SAVE HER…"_ The second voice growled, his thoughts equal to Shisui's.

' _No 'if' or 'might' about it…'_ Shisui thought as he carried on down the corridor.

As he turned another corner, he saw a small flash of light from the corner of his eye. Using his momentum from turning the corner, Shisui spun around on his left foot and made an attempt to grab the object, which he did successfully, and found out he was holding a very sharp Kukri.

He had intended on throwing the Kukri back at the person who had thrown it to begin with, but once he took stock of his surroundings, he let the blade drop to the floor with a dull clang. Rena was stood at the opposite end of the corridor, covered in blood and surrounded by Freed's men… All of them had been brutally slaughtered. However, Shisui had doubts about who the girl really was.

"So… It is as I thought…" Shisui muttered as he began walking down the corridor.

"I had a feeling you knew. This past month, I started questioning how much you had figured out. The more time I spent with you, the more I believed you would eventually realise who I really was…" The girl whispered as she started walking towards Shisui.

"Why keep it a secret? If you thought I knew, why not just tell me?" Shisui asked, looking directly into the girl's eyes as the kept walking towards each other.

"That's why I look like the way I do now. It was time to stop hiding as my little sister, I just never expected to reveal myself to you this way," The girl shrugged as she and Shisui were now less than a foot apart.

"So… What now?" Shisui looked at the girl who had developed feelings for, wondering what to do next.

"Say my name… My _real_ name. Free me from the lie I have lived as my younger sister for the past few years," The girl whispered, pleaded even.

"You aren't Rena K. Hiyama. You never were. All this time, you were actually her older sister; Lady Akane Hiyama," Shisui muttered, never breaking eye contact with her.

"Yes. I am Akane Hiyama, the Spear of Fiore. Since the death of my family four years ago, I took my little sister's appearance and let everyone believe the real Akane Hiyama died with her mother…" The girl, now known to be Akane Hiyama, explained.

"I assume the King knew?" Shisui asked.

"Knew? It was his idea," Akane laughed.

"That old fox…" Shisui muttered. "Right, never mind that, we need to go find Sellzen. I have a feeling Shahkulu is here too."

"That man in the eagle mask?" Akane asked. "I had a feeling he was suspicious."

"Yeah, I'm just annoyed I didn't figure it out sooner. I knew something wasn't right the moment I saw him," Shisui clenched his fists in anger.

"Hey, don't be so hard on yourself. You couldn't have known. However, I fear what has become of the _real_ Count Ernst Rosenberg…" Akane muttered, holding onto Shisui's clenched fists, in an attempt to calm him down.

"We can't worry about that now. We need to make sure everyone is safe. Oh, this is yours. Sorry, it's covered in blood," Shisui removed the Hiyama Cloak and gave it to Akane.

"No, you keep it. It looks better on you, even covered in blood," Akane laughed.

Shaking his head with a smile, Shisui and Akane walked down the corridor together before Shisui stopped. His Focus had finally finished decrypting the files Athena had given him.

"No… This can't be…" Shisui muttered, not believing what he was seeing.

"What's wrong, Shisui?" Akane asked, picking up her Kukri .

"We need to secure the Palace and then go find the King. He has some explaining to do," Shisui growled as he stormed off, sword in hand.

* * *

 **A/N; So, there you have it. Don't be angry at me for Rena actually being Akane, I had planned this from the beginning. If you don't like it, I'm sorry. Aside from that, how do you think this Chapter went? I'm sure I don't have to tell you who (or what) the voices were inside Shisui's head. Another thing I planned from the start, so sorry if you guys think it's dumb.**

 **I don't really have a lot to say, but I noticed a few of you guys aren't happy Shisui and Mirajane aren't a thing. Can I just bring your attention to their age? Shisui is almost 18, and Mirajane is only 14. Do we see the problem here? I'm afraid that Mirajane is just too young for Shisui at the moment. I'm sorry, but I refuse to have relationships between people when one party is underage. It's just wrong in my book.**

 **There you go, I'm not saying it can't happen, it just won't happen until Mirajane is of acceptable age. So, don't stop reading on account of the fact Shisui and Mirajane aren't together. It's too soon.**

 **Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it, sorry to those who are disappointed, but I hope that doesn't mean you'll stop reading. We're just getting to the good part!**

 **Thanks to you guys for getting this Fanfic of mine over 5k views. I hope everyone is enjoying it as much as I am.**

 **Pastasaurus away!**


	10. Rolling Part One The Air Raid Vehicle

Chapter Ten – Rolling Part One; The Air Raid Vehicle

Mercurius had been overrun by Freed Sellzen and his followers, but they were quickly routed and the palace had been secured with relative ease. Most of the survivors were relieved that the attack had been relatively simple to quell, but Shisui knew why Sellzen and his followers had retreated so quickly; Freed was looking for the Dragon Slayer Lacrima that Shisui had.

With Sellzen nor the Cult of the Damned able to secure the Lacrima, they had to retreat. Staying would have resulted in heavy losses for them, as they were not equipped for an all-out assault on Mercurius. Their mission was a simple 'smash and grab' operation, which had failed.

The motives behind Sellzen's assault on the Royal Palace were of little concern to Shisui after he discovered the files Athena had been forced to scrub from her archives. Upon discovering what the files contained, he was furious, and there was one person who was to bear the brunt of his anger.

"Where is he?" Shisui growled as he stormed into the Throne Room with Akane behind him, looking confused.

"Who, sir?" Arcadios asked, looking at his Commanding Officer with confusion.

"The King! He has some explaining to do!" Shisui snapped, which caught Arcadios off-guard.

"Wha-? What do you mean?" Arcadios replied, not liking the tone of voice Shisui was using.

"Go get the King, and you shall find out," Shisui looked at his subordinate with a cold glare.

"I won't be doing anything until you–" Arcadios began.

"I am your superior! I have given you and order, and you will do as fucking commanded!" Shisui shouted, making everyone in the Throne Room stop what they were doing to look over at the two Officers.

"Shisui…" Akane whispered as she stepped in between the two men. "Lieutenant, would you please go find His Majesty? Shisui and I need to ask him something."

"As you wish, Princess…" Arcadios muttered reluctantly, his eyes still locked with Shisui's before he turned and went to fetch the King.

"What was that about?" Akane turned to Shisui with a small scowl on her face.

"When I was doing some investigating on your family and the War of the Desert Rose, there were some files that had been scrubbed from Athena's archives, at the command of the King. I was fortunate that Athena had kept and encrypted copy that I've spent the past month trying to decode. Those files were fully decrypted shortly after I found you," Shisui explained.

"That doesn't explain your anger that was directed towards Arcadios. That was uncalled for," Akane responded, reprimanding Shisui for his angry outburst.

Before Shisui could reply, he heard a door on the far side of the Throne Room open and out of it stepped Arcadios, with King Toma right behind him. He looked fine for the most part, just shaken up by the attack by Sellzen.

"Shisui, what's the matter? Arcadios says you demanded to see me?" Toma asked, not quite believing Arcadios, who told him about Shisui's angry outburst.

"You lied to me. You lied to everyone! Why? What reason could you have to hide the truth?" Shisui growled, trying to keep a level head.

"What are you talking about, my boy?" Toma asked, genuinely confused.

"You told Athena to erase some files on the Hiyama and the War of the Desert Rose. I know the truth behind the deaths of Lady Tsuo and Lady Rena, along with the reason why the war with Pergrande started," Shisui stated, getting a few shocked gasps from people in the room.

Shisui's words seemed to stir something in the King's mind, because after a few moments, a look of horror crossed his face and he went pale.

"Ah, now… I can explain–" Toma began, but stopped when Shisui held up a hand.

"No need. I'll do it for you. The man who kidnapped Hisui four years ago was the brother-in-law of King Ptolemy. When Lady Tsuo found and killed him in an attempt to rescue Hisui, he had several letters and documents on his possession. Documents that show the kidnapping to be premeditated, but not by Ptolemy, or the Pergrande Kingdom. Someone else started the War of the Desert Rose," Shisui explained, causing everyone except the King and himself to look around in shock.

"Your Majesty, is this true?" Akane asked, looking at the King with surprise.

"Don't believe me? Perhaps this file of a letter I was given by Athena will convince you," Shisui muttered as he turned his Focus on and selected the files he had been given by Athena. "Venerable Ox, the time has come. As an agent of The Snake, you have been called upon to further our cause and expand our influence into the Kingdom of Fiore. Your mission is simple, you are to infiltrate the Royal Palace of Fiore and kidnap the new-born daughter of the King and Queen. This mission is of great importance to The Master, and failure will not be tolerated. Respectfully yours, The Hippo."

"What does that prove? That just proves someone in the Pergrandian Court orchestrated the whole thing," Arcadios snapped, growing angry at how Shisui had accused the King at trying to cover something up.

"Perhaps, but there's more. 'The Master' that letter refers to _wasn't_ from Pergrande," Shisui stated.

"How can you know that?" Arcadios responded.

"How else would Pergrande know about the birth of Hisui? Someone told them about it. Usually, other nations don't pay much attention to others, unless they are of particular interest, or they're a threat. Fiore was neither an interest, nor a threat to Pergrande, so how would they know what's going on in this nation?" Shisui responded, stunning Arcadios.

"Right, but where does the King come into this?" Arcadios asked.

"Isn't it obvious? Does it not surprise you that he went to war with Pergrande immediately, considering they are a powerful nation in their own right? It's very simple; the King was angry he got played, and he tried to cover it up," Shisui looked at the King, who sighed in shame.

"Yes, it is true. Whoever sent that man to kidnap my daughter knew exactly what they were doing. They knew how I would react, and they used it against me," Toma muttered, suddenly finding the floor the most interesting thing in the room.

"You mean, whoever sent this man knew you'd send my mother to rescue Hisui, and that she'd more than likely kill him, instead of trying to capture him alive?" Akane asked.

"Quite right, whoever 'The Master' is, knew all about the Hiyama, Lady Tsuo, and what would happen if Hisui was taken. That can only mean one thing…" Shisui muttered.

"The man who orchestrated the whole thing is from Fiore," Arcadios cried, putting everything together. "Sire, why did you not say anything? We could have looked for this scoundrel and brought him to justice!"

"Think, Arcadios. His Majesty's daughter has been kidnapped. Do you think he'd take the time to think out a plan? No, he'd want his new-born daughter returned to him immediately, unharmed," Akane cut-in, now beginning to understand how everything unfolded.

"Yeah, but what worried me was the letter this man, who seemed to go by the codename of 'The Ox' had on him. It was one addressed to 'The Master'. I think he was planning on delivering it to the man in person, perhaps by way of a dead-drop," Shisui explained as he found the next file he was looking for. "Master, I received your previous letter, and I can assure you, your plan will not fail. As The Lion has explained to me the inner working of the Fiore Court, I am of little doubt this Tsuo Hiyama will come after me and kill me when I kidnap the new-born brat. My brother-in-law, at the trusted council of The Hippo, will consider it an act of war and demand her life in exchange for my own, or raze the Kingdom in retaliation. This will give The Eagle a chance to find and kill the Hiyama family, leaving the Royal Family unprotected. I know not what your motives are for such a thing, but they matter not to me. I am ready to die, I have made peace with my Gods and will enter the afterlife knowing I have been a vital instrument in your plans. Glory to The Order, and May The Father Of Understanding Guide You, The Ox."

"That's a little… Disturbing," Arcadios muttered.

"You don't know the half of it, but the King played right into their hands. He was ashamed, and tried to hide the evidence as best as he could. While I don't blame him, he still shouldn't have kept us in the dark," Shisui looked at Toma, who was still looking at the floor.

"Who are these people the letters speak of? This Snake, Hippo, Lion, and Eagle?" Arcadios asked, trying to shift the topic of conversation away from his King's shame and failure.

"That, I do not know, but I do know The Eagle was, or is, Shahkulu. He was the one who killed Lady Tsuo and Lady Rena, after all. It seems his mission was to use his position as a soldier of Pergrande to enter Fiore and kill the Hiyama, and make it seem like they were a casualty of war… But why?" Shisui pondered.

Before their train of thought could progress any further, there was a loud sound emanating from outside the palace, an alarm which sounded like it was being transmitted all over Crocus. Barely a moment later, the doors to the Throne Room burst open, and Major Armstrong was standing there, a horrified look on his face.

"Your Majesty! We have found out what Freed Sellzen was looking for. He's taken it, Sire. We can't stop him!" Armstrong shouted, panting slightly from his mad dash to find the King and inform him of what happened.

"Inconceivable! Major, you cannot let him take that! The entire Kingdom will be at risk!" Toma cried, looking panicked and anxious.

"Wait, what's going on? I thought Freed was here to steal my Dragon Slayer Lacrima?" Shisui looked at Armstrong with confusion.

"No, sir, he was looking for the location of one of our War Machines!" Armstrong replied.

"Excuse me, 'War Machines'?" Shisui repeated, not quite sure if he heard the Major correctly.

"Yes, sir. I don't have time to explain fully, but we created a special 'Air Raid Vehicle' that could run on magic energy and had the potential to make no sound when in flight. We also equipped it with a Jupiter Cannon, so it could be used as a deterrent," Armstrong explained.

"A deterrent?! A Jupiter Cannon has the power to level a fucking city in a single shot, and you call it a deterrent?!" Shisui shouted. He could not believe what he was hearing. "Where is it?"

"It's currently going through its launch sequence in the secret bunker we sealed it in. That's why the alarms are going off all over the city!" Armstrong responded as Shisui broke out into a run and left the Throne Room.

"Major! You're coming with me! I need to know where this bunker is!" Shisui shouted.

"Why, sir? What are you going to do?" Armstrong asked as he began to chase after the Colonel.

"I intend on stopping Sellzen right now," Shisui snapped as he exited Mercurius with the Major at his side.

* * *

"Yes, this is excellent! With a machine like this, imagine the chaos we can bring to the world! Lord Indra is sure to take notice of us now, Shahkulu!" Freed squealed with glee as he was sat in the pilot's seat of the Warship he has uncovered and stolen.

Shahkulu said nothing as he watched the deranged 'Man of The Cloth' flick numerous switches and press several button, all which activated different parts of the airship. A final flick of a switch, and Shahkulu heard the engines firing up, his face remaining expressionless behind his metal facemask he usually adorned.

"Soon, the entire world will know the power of Lord Indra, and the destruction he is capable of inflicting! The Will of Indra, brought to life by my hands! I truly am The Prophet!" Sellzen cackled as he continued going through the launch sequence of the airship.

The secret bunker was located half a mile from the palace, in a special underground facility. The ground it was underneath was able to split in half, which allowed the airship to be raised up to the ground by a pneumatic elevator.

As the war machine rose up the shaft to the ground, the first rays of sunlight were beginning to sprout over the horizon, which allowed Shisui and the Major to see the ground near the elevator was crawling with Sellzen's 'Acolytes'.

"Damn, how are we supposed to get to Sellzen with all those people down there? It's obvious they're there to slow down anyone who is trying to stop their master from leaving with the airship," Armstrong muttered.

"I have an idea, but I need you to work with me on this, ok? Instead of going through Sellzen's followers, we're going to go over them," Shisui looked at the Major, who nodded in understanding.

" _FOOL! WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO ACHIEVE BY DOING THAT! YOU HAVE THE POWER TO SLAY EACH ONE OF THOSE ANTS!"_ One of the voices roared in Shisui's head.

" _NO… DON'T YOU SEE? THE BOY IS TAKING THE PATH OF LEAST RESISTANCE! WHY EXHAUST HIMSELF WHEN HE CAN AVOID CONFRONTATION ALTOGETHER?"_ The other voice growled. Shisui still couldn't make out the name that was being said.

" _WHY?! THE BOY HAS YOUR POWER AND MINE! THAT SHOULD BE MORE THAN ENOUGH TO CRUSH THESE PATHETIC HUMANS!"_ The first voice roared in anger.

" _Would the pair of you shut up?! I know what I'm doing; I don't need running commentary from a couple of voices!"_ Shisui snapped. He was getting really good at talking to these voices, much to his chagrin.

" _YOU DARE SPEAK TO ME IN SUCH A MANNER, CHILD?! DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM?!"_ The first voice roared in fury.

" _Yes, you're a voice in my head that won't shut up. Now, be silent and let me deal with this my way,"_ Shisui growled, removing his sword from his back, the black blade glinting slightly in the sunlight.

Had Shisui unsheathed his sword one minute before or after he actually did, there would have been no problems. Unfortunately, at the exact moment he unsheathed his sword, the angle of the sun in the sky was such that it glinted off the blade, right into the eyes of one of Freed Sellzen's men, who was alerted to his and the Major's presence.

"Brothers! We are not alone! We must not let him get to the Prophet and ruin Lord Indra's work!" The man shouted, alerting everyone around him.

"Oh, for fuck sake…" Shisui muttered. "Major, just stay here and tell me when you're ready."

"Roger that, sir!" Armstrong roared, ripping his shirt off for some reason with a mighty yell.

Shisui said nothing as he turned his attention back towards the swarm of people who were now charging at him, swinging swords, axes, and clubs in the air as they ran.

" _Well, looks like I'm going to have to cut my way through some of them after all… Happy now?"_ Shisui sighed, getting a dark laugh from one of the voices in response.

Shisui wasted no time attacking, and showed no mercy. He took one step before he exploded into a cloud of shadowy smoke, then reappeared behind three of Freed's men, who fell to the ground, clutching their throats. In one swift move, Shisui had vanished, passed through his attackers and sliced their throats with his sword before he appeared behind them. They were all dead before they hit the ground.

Another acolyte ran at Shisui and tried to swing a spiked club at his head. Shisui, having no time to properly react, swung the back of his fist at the club, in an attempt to redirect the attack, but the outcome of his attempt was much different.

As the back of his fist made contact with the wooden club, the club came to a dead stop, before shattering into splinters. This surprised both men, but Shisui managed to recover first, and deliver a solid punch to the man's head, knocking him out and sending him to the ground, skidding to a halt several meters away from Shisui.

' _Wait, how did I do that…?'_ Shisui thought, as he flexed his hand to make sure it was still his own. The muscles and nerves all responded properly, and his hand didn't feel any different, but he knew his punches weren't _that_ strong.

That, however, would have to wait, as Shisui had now found himself face to face with a large, hulking frame of a man that managed to put Major Armstrong's towering physique to shame. The monster of a man was very slow, but Shisui knew that could have just been an attempt to trick him. As any good fighter would do, Shisui remained on guard, trying to read his opponent's movements and figure out a strategy that could help defeat the man he now had to face.

Shisui noticed the rest of Freed's followers were now piling into the airship. It seemed that they were confident that the giant man, who was stopping Shisui from advancing any further, would be enough to stop Shisui permanently.

Wasting little time, Shisui darted forward and punched the man in the gut, hoping he could do some damage with his punches, just like he did to the man with the club. That hope, however, died when Shisui's fist made contact with the man's stomach. It felt like Shisui had punched a solid block of metal. The impact hurt him more than it did his opponent. In fact, Shisui was confident his opponent felt nothing at all.

After the initial impact had failed to do anything, Shisui foolishly let his guard down, which allowed the giant man to grab him and throw him away into a nearby building, cracking the brick wall on impact. Feeling dazed and angry at himself for getting distracted, Shisui pulled himself to the ground and spat out some blood that had appeared in his mouth.

In the background, Shisui saw the war machine had finished its initial launch sequence and was about to lift off. He knew that once it got off the ground, there was no way he would have been able to stop it.

" _COME ON, BOY! I CAN FEEL THUNDER WITHIN YOU! BRING IT TO THE SURFACE AND LET IT ALL OUT!"_ The second voice roared impatiently. Even the voices knew Shisui was running out of time.

Shisui knew the voice was right. He could feel thunder deep within. More specifically, he could feel Laxus' Lighting Dragon Slayer Magic that he had siphoned off when the pair of them fought the Penitent, which felt like an age ago to Shisui. He knew what he had to do; this was an all or nothing gambit.

Shisui crouched slightly, using the wall behind him as a buffer to keep him anchored in place as he began to inhale deeply, resulting in him beginning to suck in the shadows around him. When he had inhaled as much as his body would allow, Shisui turned to look at the large hulking man who was getting closer to him, cracking his knuckles in anticipation of pounding his opponent into the dirt. Shisui, on the other hand, had other ideas. He could feel the remnants of Lightning Dragon Slayer Magic rising within him, which he began to combine with his own shadows.

"LIGHTNING SHADOW DRAGON ROAR!" Shisui unleashed absolutely everything he had and hit the giant man, who was only a few feet away, engulfing him in a maelstrom of black and yellow.

The power of the attack cleaved a massive crater in the ground, starting out very narrow and deep, but getting wider and shallower the further away it got from Shisui. The windows in the buildings around the blast zone shattered, and Shisui was flung back into the wall he had used as an anchor to keep him in place. Had be unleashed such a move out in the open, he would have been shot back even further, and the control would have been incredibly minimal.

After a few seconds, the chaos from Shisui's attack died down, and much to his horror, the man had simply stood there and taken it all head on. Parts of his body were charred and burned from where the lightning had impacted with him, but he was still standing, but not moving.

"Shisui! Now's your chance! It looks like your last attack paralyzed him! Take him out now!" Armstrong yelled as he slammed his fists into the ground.

With his sword still in his hand, Shisui stood up, swung the sword over his head and took two steps before releasing the sword and throwing it directly at his now paralyzed foe. Shisui knew a swordsman must _never_ throw away his sword, but he desperately needed to take this freak of nature down. The airship had just began to lift off, hovering a few feet above the ground and rising by the second.

The sword wind milled through the air and the blade buried itself deep in the man's thick skull, splitting his head in two. Shisui saw the Major was ready to help him get to the airship, so he quickly made his way over the the corpse of the huge man he had just killed by throwing his sword at and removed it.

In a perfect world, that's what would have happened. Except it _wasn't_ a perfect world, and Shisui found his sword was buried so deep in the man's skull that he couldn't remove it as easily as he had anticipated.

"Forget the sword, sir! You need to get on that ship!" Armstrong shouted, his hand and the earth around him glowing gold.

Growling in annoyance, Shisui reluctantly gave up the sword. He knew the Major would recover it for him and return it to him later. He now focused his attention on getting on the warship and stopping Freed Sellzen.

Shisui took off in a full sprint towards the war machine, that was slowly ascending into the sky. As he neared the airship, he felt the ground shift under his feet and seconds later, he felt himself being thrust up into the air, while still on the ground.

Major Armstrong had used his magic to shift and manipulate the form of the ground and turn it into a pillar underneath Shisui's feet to launch him into the air. The momentum of both the shifting earth and Shisui running was enough to allow Shisui to bridge the gap between him and the airship, resulting in him being able to climb on board the wing of the ship.

Major Armstrong looked on as the airship, and Shisui, ascended into the air and took off towards the North. The Major had no idea where the airship was going, but if Shahkulu was involved, he knew that the Pergrande Kingdom could be a very likely destination, especially if there were still agents of Ptolemy's regime still active within the Kingdom.

Shisui's arrival on the airship didn't go unnoticed. One of Freed's Acolytes saw Shisui kill the cult members on the ground and make it onto the airship. Almost immediately, he rushed off to inform Freed of the intruder.

"Apologies, Your Excellency, but one of the King's men managed to make it onto the ship. It's the Dragon Slayer who murdered our brothers whilst they were out doing Lord Indra's work," the Acolyte bowed as he addressed his 'Prophet'.

"Oh, is that so…? Shahkulu, put a hold on our original destination; they can wait. I think we should deal with this sinner in away he'll never forget… Let him serve as a lesson to those who'd dare cross Lord Indra," Freed grinned darkly as he looked over at his bodyguard.

Shahkulu said nothing as he made adjustments to the airship's flight instruments, changing the destination of the airship, but keeping their original flight path the same. They were still flying towards the North.

* * *

A couple hours later, the Fairy Tail Guild in Magnolia town was just as chaotic as ever. There had already been a fight between Natsu and Gray over who got to do a job they both wanted; a fight that was quickly resolved by Erza, who smacked the pair over the head and took the job for herself.

"Cheer up, Natsu. It's not the end of the world," Lisanna said, trying to cheer Natsu up.

"No, but it's all stupid Gray's fault. Why couldn't he pick another job?" Natsu pouted.

"The same could be said for you, Natsu. I mean, you _did_ snatch the request out of Gray's hand," Cana sighed as she shuffled her deck of cards.

"But that job was meant for me! It even said 'Looking for a strong Wizard who can control fire!" Natsu cried.

"No, the job request Gray had was looking for someone who could make extravagant ice sculptures for an important meeting for some rich people. Do you still not know how to read?" Cana looked at the young Dragon Slayer with slight concern.

"He's proving difficult to teach," Erza stated as she approached the group, an incredibly large amount of suitcases and supplies stacked up behind her.

"Wow! Do you really need all that stuff?!" Happy cried in awe, looking at the tower of suitcases Erza had packed.

"Of course. Any good Wizard is always prepared for even the most unexpected of circumstances," Erza responded scholarly.

"It's not my fault you hit me every time I get something wrong!" Natsu protested.

"Get it right and I won't hit you. Surely that is motivation enough to not get things wrong," Erza shrugged.

"I can't find it anywhere! This is so stupid!" An loud voice shouted, making everyone turn to see an angry Mirajane throwing a book out the window. Literally.

"Hey! What did you do that for?! That's my book!" Levy cried, holding back a tear.

"It's a stupid book! I thought books helped people. I thought they were supposed to have information in them. Was I wrong?" Mirajane growled.

"I don't even know what you're looking for!" Levy whinged. "If you'd just tell me, I might be able to help you."

"No, because I… Well, it's just… I need to do this by myself!" Mirajane shouted. She was starting to get flustered.

"Hey, Lisanna, what's Mirajane looking for?" Cana asked, looking over at the youngest Strauss.

"I don't know, but she's been obsessed with it for ages," Lisanna shrugged.

"How long has this been going on for?" Erza inquired.

"I think it started about a week after Shisui left? Give or take," Lisanna responded, doing her best to think back.

"So, it has something to do with Shisui? That's not a surprise," Cana smirked.

"Perhaps. Maybe he asked her to look something up for him as a way to keep her distracted from everything that's been going on? It sounds like something he'd do," Lisanna mused.

"Wait, that guy spoke to Mirajane? When?!" Natsu shouted. He still hadn't gotten over his fear of Shisui, and was angry any time the name came up in conversation.

"You dummy, Shisui was the reason Mirajane is even out of her room. Lisanna came and asked for his help the last time he was here. Don't you remember that?" Erza snapped, fixing Natsu with a dark glare.

"Is that cry-baby still throwing tantrums over a stupid tattoo? How pathetic," A sneering voice remarked from behind the group.

"Laxus! I challenge you!" Natsu shouted, pounding his fists together and covering them with fire as he leapt at Laxus.

"Piss off, brat," Laxus growled as he stepped to one side, causing Natsu to miss completely and crash into the bar.

"Laxus, what was this you were saying about a tattoo?" Erza asked, staring at Laxus.

"The little brat came to me about a month ago and asked about tattoos. She probably wanted to get one herself, but is too scared to do it," Laxus laughed, as he watched Mirajane throw another book across the room. Levy was almost in tears.

"She's too young for something like that," Erza replied. "Did she say anything else to you? What it looked like, where she wanted it; assuming she was interested in getting one."

"No. Stupid girl wouldn't say anything about it. I forced her to tell me the design, she said she doesn't know it. She _thinks_ it's a triangle, but that's all she knew about it," Laxus laughed.

"If she doesn't know then you don't think–" Gray began, before the light outside darkened considerably, and a loud crash silenced him.

This crash, however, _wasn't_ caused by Mirajane throwing a fit. Unless she had the ability to make bodies crash through the roof from out of the sky…

* * *

 _The skies above Magnolia town; Ten minutes before impact._

Once the Royal Army's special 'Air Raid Vehicle' had left the city of Crocus, Shisui began making his way into the war machine itself. It was difficult, what with the fact he was being knocked around by the air, but he managed to make his way inside.

Shisui was intent on finding Freed and Shahkulu so he could silence them both, but he knew this ship would be crawling with Freed's most faithful of followers, and he wasn't stupid enough to start a fight in an enclosed space, whilst being several thousand feet in the air.

Instead, Shisui opted to hide and wait. He knew there was a reason Freed stole this airship, and he wanted to find out why. Did it have anything to do with Shahkulu's past, and him being referred to as 'The Eagle'? Shisui had no idea, but he was going to find out.

A couple hours had passed since Shisui managed to get aboard, and he was able to find a place where he could both hide, and keep an eye on where the airship was travelling, and he was starting to see some very familiar landmarks, one of them being Kardia Cathedral.

"Oh, shit…" Shisui whispered. He now knew exactly where Freed was going.

Wasting no more time, Shisui made his way out of his hiding place and made his way to the Bridge. He was certain that Freed would be there, looking out at the populace below, as if he were some kind of God.

It didn't take long to find the corridor that led up to the Bridge, and as Shisui marched up to the door, he was stopped by one of the voices in his head.

" _WAIT, YOU FOOL! DO YOU KNOW WHAT'S ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT DOOR?!"_ The voice roared.

" _Well, I'm hoping Sellzen and Shahkulu are on the other side. Other than that, I really don't care,"_ Shisui responded.

" _DO YOU EVEN HAVE A PLAN? OR ARE YOU HOPING THOSE TWO WILL JUST SURRENDER?!"_ The second voice chimed in.

" _No, not really. But I need to stop those two before they destroy Fairy Tail. Right now, that is my top priority,"_ Shisui answered, and when he received no response from either voice, he took that as a sign to carry on.

As he approached the door, he assumed it had been sealed, as there were no handles, and it looked like it opened with a proximity sensor, and Shisui gathered that if there was such a thing, he'd have set it off by now. Taking a step back, Shisui clenched his fist and began to charge Shadow Magic in it. His fist was aimed directly in the centre of the door.

"Shadow Dragon Pulse…" Shisui muttered, firing off a single solid punch on the door, his Dragon Slayer Magic hitting it and passing through the door. Moments later, the door exploded inwards, creating a hole for Shisui to step through.

"Well, well, well… Look what we have here. The King's ever faithful lapdog, and the Colonel of his armies! I was wondering when you'd make your grand entrance!" Freed sneered as he looked down on Shisui from his seat on the opposite side of the room.

"Your madness ends here, Freed! I I won't let you harm innocent people any longer!" Shisui shouted, his voice sounding distorted and mechanical from behind his enchanted mask.

"Innocent people? Are you sure that's who you mean? Or is it simply you won't allow me to harm your friends in that little Guild down there? Oh, yes… I know all about you and who you really are. Lord Indra tells me everything about my enemies," Freed responded with a dark grin. "You see, I think you're more concerned about me harming your friends than anything. Do you know how many people I have kidnapped, killed, and had killed in the time you've been trying to stop me? HUNDREDS! Ever since you killed my followers, I've been rounding up innocent people and executing them all en masse! Yet you didn't lift a finger to stop me. Now, however, I threaten people you actually know and care about, and here you are, coming to stop me."

Shisui stood there in disbelief. How did he not know about Freed rounding up innocents and murdering them in cold blood? Somewhere, a serious breakdown of communication had occurred, but now wasn't the time to worry about the people Freed had put to death.

" _IT SEEMS YOUR OFFICERS HAVE FAILED YOU… HOW COULD THEY NOT TELL YOU ABOUT SUCH A THING?"_ The first voice growled.

" _INDEED. … IS RIGHT. YOU SHOULD HAVE KNOWN THIS WAS HAPPENING, YET YOU DIDN'T. ARE YOU SURE YOU CAN EVEN TRUST THOSE YOU CALL 'ALLY'?"_ The second voice laughed.

" _Be silent! I will deal with this problem later. Sellzen is right here, and I'm not going to let him get away again!"_ Shisui snapped.

"To fuck with you and the people you killed! I won't let you harm my family!" Shisui snapped, not even trying to pretend Freed was wrong about his ties to Fairy Tail. "This ends here!"

" _WAIT, BOY! I HAVE AN IDEA! … WILL LEND YOU A SMALL PORTION OF HIS POWERS! WE'RE GOING TO BLOW THIS THING OUT OF THE SKY!"_ The first voice shouted.

" _What? How?"_ Shisui responded.

" _DESTROY THE CONTROL PANELS, AND THIS THING SHOULD FALL RIGHT OUT OF THE SKY, SHOULDN'T IT? I WILL LOAN YOU A SMALL FRACTION OF MY POWER. THAT SHOULD BE ENOUGH,"_ The second voice growled. It was the first time Shisui had heard the voice sound so calm.

" _Fine, just hurry up and let's end this. I'm done screwing around,"_ Shisui responded, his golden eyes glaring at Freed from behind his mask.

" _THERE, YOU NOW HAVE ENOUGH OF MY POWER TO DESTROY THIS THING! DO NOT DISAPPOINT ME, BOY!"_ The second voice growled.

Ideally, Shisui would have just destroyed everything around him with his Shadow Dragon Roar, but with his mask on, that would act as a barrier and the attack would literally blow up in his face. Shisui knew he'd have to get his hands dirty for this one…

In the blink of an eye, Shisui burst into a cloud of shadows and made his way over to the nearest control panel. The unfortunate individual who was manning the console started to suffocate as Shisui's shadowy clouds engulfed him and started entering his mouth and nose, preventing him from being able to breathe. Once the man had collapsed to the ground dead, the shadows began to take form in front of the console, and Shisui reappeared.

"STOP HIM! DO NOT LET HIM TOUCH THAT MACHINE!" Freed screamed as he and several of his followers charged at Shisui in an attempt to stop him.

It was too late. Shisui had taken on a tangible form and drove his fist right through the control panel. He could feel his fist had been augmented with additional power, as there would have been no way he could achieve such a feat normally.

With the console destroyed, several warning alarms and lights began to go off, and machinery all around them began to spark and explode. One machine blew up right as a handful of Freed's men passed by it. If the explosion didn't kill them, then the shrapnel from the machine definitely did.

"USELESS! ALL OF YOU! SHAHKULU! DO NOT LET THIS WARSHIP CRASH! I WILL DEAL WITH THIS SINNER!" Freed screamed hysterically as he cautiously approached Shisui with his sword drawn.

Taking a step back to readjust, Shisui became more aware of his surroundings, only to see the large machine near Freed and himself beginning to smoke and spark. He knew what was about to happen, and moved to dodge the inevitable explosion.

As the machine exploded, Shisui didn't feel any intense burning pain. Instead, he felt the chilling rush of cold air. Opening his eyes, he found himself falling out of the sky towards the ground, with Freed next to him, his sword nowhere to be seen.

"NOOOO! YOU RUINED EVERYTHING! _EVERYTHING!_ I'LL KILL YOU! I'LL RIP YOU HEAD OFF AND USE YOUR SKULL AS A GOBLET!" Freed screamed and wailed like a madman as he fell out of the sky with Shisui.

Twisting his body in an attempt to disrupt the airflow, Shisui was able to slow his descent enough that Freed was now beneath him, and close enough to grab. He grabbed the deranged zealot by the collar and started throwing a flurry of strong, hard punches at Freed's face. The blows were quick and precise, giving Freed no chance to parry or counter.

' _I need to time this just right…'_ Shisui thought to himself as he kept punching Freed's face.

As both men continued to fall, Shisui waited for the moment the airship blotted out the light from the sun to launch his next attack. In preparation, Shisui began creating shadows between himself and Freed, using one hand to control the size and positioning of the shadows.

The shadows began to swirl and take the shape of a small orb that was rapidly growing by the second. By the time his window of opportunity had arrived, the shadow orb had multiplied considerably.

"Massive Shadow Dragon Gravity Bomb!" Shisui shouted as he released the orb from his hand the moment the sun was blocked out by the massive warship.

The orb impacted with Freed's chest and exploded, creating a dark orb ten times the size of the original one he hit Freed with. With the airship passing across the sky and blocking out the sunlight, the shadows from his attack were masked perfectly.

The blast sent Freed falling out of the sky, reaching terminal velocity as his body smashed through the roof of the Fairy Tail Guild Hall.

"Why does that not surprise me?" Shisui sighed as he began to freefall out of the sky, chasing Freed through the hole he had created in the roof of the Guild Hall.

* * *

As Shisui crashed down, he could feel someone's neck around his hand. Crushing his prey's neck, he unsheathed one of his wrist blades, ready to deliver the killing blow.

"Now I've got you!" Shisui growled, but stopped as the dust settled and he could finally see who he was choking. It wasn't Freed. It was Mirajane.

Bright blue eyes full of fear were locked with blazing golden eyes full of malice as the grip around Mirajane's neck loosened considerably.

"You're not…" Shisui began, thankful that his mask distorted his voice. "Where is he?!"

Shisui stood up and sheathed his wrist blade. Taking in his surroundings, he saw many shocked an terrified faces, but he couldn't see Freed Sellzen.

"Freed! Where are you hiding?!" Shisui roared.

"I'm not hiding, I'm right here," A confused voice spoke up, causing Shisui to snap around to see who had spoken. It wasn't Freed Sellzen, but Freed Justine.

"Err, not you… I'm looking for the man who crashed through the roof a few moments before I arrived. Where is he?" Shisui looked around, hoping someone had an answer.

"I saw the back doors of the Guild open up before you attacked Mirajane. I thought it was one of us escaping the chaos, but maybe it was this other Freed person?" Lisanna mumbled.

"Thank you, child," Shisui looked down at Lisanna, who looked genuinely frightened of him. The look on her face stung Shisui, but he knew he couldn't let anyone know it was him behind the mask.

As Shisui made his was over to the door, everyone crowded around Mirajane, as she got back up to her feet.

"Mira! Are you ok, big sister?!" Lisanna cried, worried about her big sister.

"Y-Yeah, I'm… I'm fine," Mirajane responded weakly, holding onto her throat. She had a weird look on her face as she watched Shisui leave the Guild Hall.

* * *

"There you are, Freed! How did you manage to flee so fast, you fucking rat?!" Shisui shouted as he saw Freed outside the Guild Hall, looking out at the water.

"Flee? Oh, no… My dear Colonel. I did not flee. Lord Indra saved me from falling into darkness and evil by your hands," Freed responded calmly, turning to face Shisui.

"What? Your face?! But I–" Shisui looked at Freed in disbelief. There wasn't a scratch on him.

"Soon, the rest of my Acolytes will arrive, and along with Shahkulu, we will burn this Guild Hall to the ground, and execute every single member while you watch, before I kill you myself," Freed muttered, giggling slightly.

"Hey, what's going on out here?" A voice called out. Shisui recognised the voice to be Cana's.

"Stay back, all of you! This man is extremely dangerous!" Shisui warned, holding an arm out, but never breaking the stare down he was having with Freed.

"Ahh, good… It looks like Shahkulu managed to get that warship under control. Oh, and here come my Acolytes. Lord Indra rewards the virtuous," Freed smirked as several of his followers landed on the ground, surrounding him.

"Hey, that's not fair! It's eight against one!" Mirajane shouted.

"Hush, child… I've faced worse odds than this, believe me," Shisui turned to look over his shoulder at Mirajane. He could see she was genuinely concerned. "I will not allow you to bring harm to these children, Sellzen."

"You think you can stop me? How very foolish of you," Freed smirked as he gave his Acolytes a single order. "Kill him."

Upon the command, all of Freed's followers approached Shisui, ready to fulfil their master's wish.

' _Looks like the Master isn't here… Good… That means I can fight unrestricted for the time being…'_ Shisui thought as he looked over his shoulder and saw every member of Fairy Tail, except for Gildarts and Makarov.

"Earth. Wind," Shisui uttered two words and in his left hand a brown Magic Circle formed, while a white Magic Circle formed in his right hand. "Divine Tempest; Summoning – Blades of the Wolf Queen!"

Slamming his hands and the Magic Circles together, Shisui cast a magic spell that engulfed him in a bright yellow light. Once it had subsided, there were now two objects in his hands. Two short, razor sharp daggers that were pure white in appearance and emanated a dull golden glow. The tips of the daggers pointed up and looked a lot like wolf fangs.

Not even giving his opponents time to strike, Shisui slashed the daggers in an X shape in front of him. His attack didn't hit anyone, but that was his intent. As he slashed his blades two large scythes of air exploded from where the blades had cut, creating an X shaped blast of wind that hit one of Freed's Acolytes centre mass, and sliced him into pieces.

As the pieces of Freed's now dead follower dropped to the floor, no-one moved. Everyone looked shocked and horrified. Even Freed went noticeably pale.

" _DIVINE TEMPEST MAGIC?! NOW THERE'S A NAME I HAVEN'T HEARD IN A WHILE! I'D EXPECT NOTHING LESS FROM YOU, BOY!"_ The first voice roared in approval.

" _INTERESTING, VERY INTERESTING. IT SEEMS MY TRUST IN YOU WAS WELL PLACED. I WAS INDEED WISE TO GIVE YOU SOME OF MY POWER…"_ The second voice growled in agreement.

Shisui ignored the voices and turned his attention to the combatants before him. His Blades of the Wolf Queen were powerful, but had two fatal flaws. One was that, like with all Divine Tempest Summonings, they had a limited lifespan of use before they shattered. The other was the fact that his attacks were simply sharp gusts of wind. They could be blocked or parried easily, without causing any harm to the defender.

"Burst; Amaterasu Formula Fifteen…" Shisui muttered, casting a white Magic Circle under his feet.

Taking a step forward, Shisui vanished from sight, and a second later Freed's men were caught in a hurricane of wind blades. None of Freed's men could comprehend what happened, but that didn't make a difference; they were all dead before their brains could have even registered what happened. The only person left standing after the onslaught was Freed, who was now at Shisui's mercy.

"You're mine!" Shisui growled as he launched a final attack, only for his daggers to shatter and return to the ethernano he had used to manifest them.

"Is that right? It seems your luck has run out. Lord Indra would never let harm come to me!" Freed yelled with a sickening smile on his face. "Now, it's my turn."

Thrusting both hands into his jacket, Freed pulled out a pair of handguns and aimed them at Shisui. Leaving him no time to react properly, Shisui immediately burst into a cloud of shadows to avoid the gunshots.

Freed gave no quarter. As soon as Shisui reappeared, he started firing at him again. Running off to the side, Shisui flipped forward, using his hands as a springboard to dodge the bullets and came skidding to a halt behind a low wall… Only to realise his friends were now out in the open and completely unprotected.

"Take cover you fools! Do you want to die?!" Shisui shouted, breaking everyone out of their shocked stupor as a bullet ricocheted off the wall near Shisui's head.

It didn't take long for the Fairy Tail Guild Members to come to their senses and duck for cover. In seconds, everyone had taken cover somewhere… Everyone except Mirajane, who was looking at Shisui in shock. Freed noticed this and pointed his guns at her.

"Move child!" Shisui shouted, as he got up and started running towards Mirajane as Freed fired a shot from each gun.

Shisui got to Mirajane before the bullets did and picked her up and carried her off to another low wall on the opposite side of the embankment.

" _THOSE GUNS…! THEY'RE… LISTEN TO ME; I WANT YOU TO TAKE THOSE GUNS, DO YOU HEAR ME?!"_ The first voice roared.

" _What? No! I don't use–"_ Shisui began but was interrupted.

" _DAMMIT, BOY! JUST DO AS I SAY!"_ The first voice exploded, shocking Shisui.

' _Christ, what's so special about a pair of guns?'_ Shisui thought before he growled at a sudden sharp pain in his shoulder. Putting a hand to where the pain was, Shisui felt a searing pain before removing his hand and saw his glove was covered in blood.

"Your shoulder… Are you alright?" Mirajane whispered, looking at the blood on Shisui's hand.

"Argh… I'm fine, child. Are you alright?" Shisui looked at Mirajane, inwardly sighing in relief when he saw she was unharmed before he started to get up.

"H-Hey! Where are you going?! You wanna get shot again?!" Mirajane cried as she tried to grab onto Shisui's hand to stop him.

Shisui wasn't an idiot. He was quite the opposite, and highly observant at that. At Major Armstrong's request, Shisui had spoken to Sergeant Abberline about firearms, just in case he ever came up against them.

For that reason, he knew that most handguns could hold fifteen bullets in its magazine; sixteen if you count the one in the chamber. That meant Freed had a total of thirty-two bullets he could fire before needing to reload. As soon as Freed produced the guns from his jacket and started shooting, Shisui had been counting the amount of shots Freed had taken. The last two shots he aimed at Mirajane were shots thirty-one and thirty-two. Shisui knew Freed has spent every bullet in his guns and needed to reload.

"Calm down, girl… His guns are completely spent; he'll need to–" Shisui began before he was silenced by a loud, single gunshot.

The bullet hit Shisui centre mass, going right through him. Shisui collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath.

"NO!" Mirajane screamed, looking at the body of the warrior who had saved her life.

"You fool! You think Lord Indra would bless me with a pair of _regular_ guns?! These are far from normal. These guns fire normal bullets, yes… But when there are no more bullets to fire, it converts into a weapon that can fire soul bullets! You underestimate the power of Lord Indra!" Freed screamed maniacally.

" _DO YOU UNDERSTAND NOW, BOY?! THOSE GUNS ARE NOT NORMAL! THEY ARE SOUL GUNS! THEY USE THE POWERS OF A COMPRESSED HUMAN SOUL TO FIRE THEM LIKE A PROJECTILE! EACH SHOT THAT HITS A PERSON RAVAGES THEIR BODY ON A CELLULAR LEVEL, BREAKING DOWN PHYSICAL AND SPIRITUAL BARRIERS. SOULS THAT ARE NOT YOUR OWN ARE LIKE A POISON TO THE BODY. DO NOT MOVE! I AM GOING TO SAVE YOU BY GIVING YOU A DOSE OF MY POWERS!"_ The first voice growled.

Shisui simply lay there as the voice reprimanded him for his recklessness as he felt his heart weakening and being torn apart by the soul bullet he was hit with. Turning his head to the left, Shisui saw Mirajane get up to approach him, so he weakly raised a hand to stop her.

"Stay… Stay where you… You are," Shisui grunted, breathing heavily as he felt his body go numb.

Mirajane looked on as she saw Shisui's body become bathed in a pale green light. Moments later, Shisui was able to stand up and didn't feel hindered by the bullet he was hit with.

"It is you who underestimates me, Freed Sellzen. I know about your guns. Where did you get them?" Shisui asked, demanding an answer.

"What the hell?! That guy took a bullet to the chest and he's not even dead! What is he?!" Gray cried in shock, as he witnessed everything that just unfolded.

"I think he's just a very powerful Wizard. I mean, he'd have to be; look at the marking on his jacket," Erza pointed to the sleeve of Shisui's jacket. There was a crown with two Bath Stars beneath it.

"What about it? It's just a crown with two little diamond shaped studs under it," Gray shrugged.

"This man is a Colonel in the Royal Fiore Army," Erza stated.

"A Colonel?! But… But I thought Colonels weren't field officers?" Levy asked, blinking in surprise at Erza.

"They're not, but it's obvious the Kingdom decided this Freed Sellzen was dangerous enough to warrant sending a high-ranking Officer to deal with him," Erza responded, looking at the Colonel, who she no idea was actually Shisui.

"Damn… A soldier who can cheat death? That's insane," Gray muttered as he looked on over the wall he and everyone else was hiding behind.

"You want to know where I got my guns from? Very well, I'll indulge you; I will take this opportunity to show you the power of Lord Indra. I took them from a Reaper," Freed smirked, spinning one of the guns around on his trigger finger.

"What?! You stole a Reaper's weapon?!" Shisui shouted.

"Oh, no… I didn't steal it. I took it," Freed replied, giving Shisui a dark, evil smile.

Shisui knew exactly what Freed meant when he said he 'took' a Reaper's weapon.

"So, how much blood did you have to spill in order to take those guns?" Shisui asked.

"I'm sure you already know the answer," Freed responded cryptically. "But that was the hard part. With Lord Indra's blessing, I was given a foolish Reaper who was obsessed with symmetry so much that he couldn't do his job because of how unsymmetrical the bodies were. So I took the opportunity to take his weapons from him."

Shisui clenched a fist in anger. If what Freed said was true, then he was going to have a hard time trying to combat a Reaper's weapon. That, however, was the last thing on Shisui's mind as he saw the Army's stolen Air Raid Vehicle approaching the Guild Hall.

"Ahh, good. Lord Indra blesses me once again. Shahkulu has arrived and with it, comes the end of you, and this pathetic little Guild," Freed snickered.

Shisui looked on as the Air Raid Vehicle opened a hatch on the front of its hull and produced a massive barrel. Shisui knew this was the Jupiter Cannon Major Armstrong had told him about.

" _YOU HAD BETTER PREPARE YOURSELF, BOY. IF THAT CANNON GOES OFF, THE ENTIRE CITY WILL BE ATOMISED!"_ The second voice growled in a tone that suggested warning.

Taking what the voice said on board, Shisui took a step back and held out both hands.

"Earth, Wind, Fire, Water, Light, Shadow…" Shisui whispered, a small Magic Circle forming on the fingertips of his left hand, with the exception of the Shadow Magic Circle, which covered his entire right hand.

"NOW, SHAHKULU! FIRE THE JUPITER CANNON NOW!" Freed screamed with a deranged look on his face, a twisted grin on his face as he looked at Shisui, and his feeble attempt to stop the might of a Jupiter Cannon blast.

"Six Layer Elemental Divine Tempest Summoning; Aegis of the Warrior Goddess!" Shisui shouted, slamming the Shadow Magic Circle on the ground, layered by the five other smaller Magic Circles on top of it.

An explosion of pure white light engulfed the area around Shisui as the Jupiter Cannon charged up and fired a massive beam of destruction right at the Fairy Tail Guild Hall. The resulting blast was so powerful, the water in the harbour was thrown sky high, and the sound of the explosion was heard and felt from miles away, then everything went silent…

* * *

"Well, what do you think? I'm anxious to hear your thoughts," Makarov asked eagerly.

"What do you want from me, Makarov? I'm a healer, not a mind reader," Porlyusica snapped.

"I am aware of that. I'm just…" Makarov sighed. "I'm just concerned. He hasn't been himself for a while now. I fear he was somehow adversely affected fighting that spectre in Fairy Hills a few months ago."

"Give it a rest, Makarov. The boy is capable of handling far more dangerous things. An aberrant spectre is hardly going to bother him," Porlyusica responded tersely.

"Yes, I know. I'm just worried. I didn't like the look Shisui had when he told me there was someone else who was rumoured to have Skiadrum's powers," Makarov shook his head.

"What do you expect? He was raised by that dragon. How would you think he felt, learning that there is someone out there who has a Lacrima full of Shadow Dragon Magic?" Porlyusica looked at Makarov with a raised eyebrow.

"I understand that, but from what he told me, this person is only a boy. But Shisui looked like he was ready to go on a witch hunt," Makarov responded.

"Makarov, you're overthinking this. You know how curious and inquisitive the boy can be. That's why you like him so much. He's a good role model for the kids in your Guild, and they all look up to him. Whatever dark past he may or may not have, you and I both know Shisui would never harm an innocent child," Porlyusica replied, which seemed to calm down Makarov considerably.

"Yes, you're absolutely right. Despite his age and maturity, Shisui is still one of my children, and I will always worry about my children," Makarov stated.

Before either person could say anything else, the felt a very strong earthquake, which managed to knock several books off of Porlyusica's shelves.

"What on earth was that?" Makarov asked.

"I don't know, but it definitely came from town," Porlyusica muttered as she picked up one of her tomes and put it on the desk.

"Ohh, if those kids have destroyed something else, they're going to be in serious trouble!" Makarov grumbled as he left Porlyusica's house in the forest to return to Magnolia Town with Porlyusica, who decided to follow on, in case someone had gotten hurt.

* * *

"Huh? What happened? Am I dead?" Gray muttered as he opened his eyes and saw nothing but white.

"I… I don't think so," Lisanna coughed, opening her eyes and also seeing nothing but white. "Mira? Big Brother Elf?! Where are you?"

"I'm here, sis!" Elfman called out, not entirely sure where Lisanna was.

"Is everyone ok?" Erza asked, trying to take control of the situation, despite not being able to see like everyone else.

"Natsu?! Hey, where did you go?" Happy called out.

"Argh! What is this?! Why can't I see?!" Natsu shouted, flailing about trying to find a way out of the whiteness.

"What happened? I remember a giant ship was about to fire a Jupiter Cannon at us. Did it miss?" Cana asked.

"No, it didn't miss. It just never got a chance to hit it's mark," Laxus growled, stepping out from the white and finding the children.

"Laxus, what happened? You seem to know more than us," Erza asked.

"It would appear that soldier saved us," Freed stated, nodding in agreement with his own statement.

"Damn! That guy must be crazy powerful to stop a Jupiter Cannon! Where is he?" Bickslow looked around, not seeing anyone but the children.

"Hey, Lisanna, do you know where Mira is? I can't see her anywhere," Elfman mumbled, sounding worried for his big sister.

"Mira?! Where are you?!" Lisanna called out again, sounding panicked.

"Over here…" Mirajane called out, sounding rather distant.

"Mira! Are you ok? You're not hurt are you?" Lisanna cried, relieved to see her big sister was unharmed.

"Y-Yeah… I'm fine," Mira muttered, looking straight ahead with an empty look in her eyes.

"What's she looking at?" Gray asked, following the direction Mirajane was looking, before he saw it too.

Out of the whiteness was a faint red glow.

* * *

"YES! YES! WE DID IT! LORD INDRA HAS BLESSED US AGAIN! NO-ONE CAN STOP THE PROPHET OF THE ONE TRUE GOD!" Sellzen screamed maniacally as he watched the Jupiter Cannon fire at the Fairy Tail Guild Hall and explode.

Freed Sellzen had watched as the stolen Air Raid Vehicle fired the immense magic cannon, assuming it had hit it's mark and destroyed Shisui and his Guild. What he expected was the utter annihilation of Fairy Tail. What he didn't expect was to hear Shisui's voice again.

"Dragon Slayer Secret Art; Crimson Bow and Arrow!"

From the cloud of dust and smoke came a blood red magic projectile, ripping through the air, missing Freed's face by mere inches. Freed even felt the magical resonance the arrow gave off as it passed by him. Freed looked on and saw a figure standing in the smoke, a faint red glow by their side.

"NO! NONONONONONO! HOW ARE YOU STILL ALIVE! SHAHKULU SHOULD HAVE OBLITERATED YOU WITH THAT SHOT!" Freed screamed, almost like he was throwing a tantrum. "THIS ISN'T FAIR! I'VE WAITED OUT EVERY STORM THAT HAS COME MY WAY! I WON'T LET A CHILD STOP ME FROM FULFILLING LORD INDRA'S PROPHECY!"

"Waiting for the storm won't help you, Sellzen. I will not stand by and let you harm any more innocent people," Shisui's voice called out, his figure becoming more visible as the smoke dissipated.

"Argh! No matter… It seems Lord Indra still believes in me. It was his hand who saved me from that arrow," Freed spoke, suddenly calm and composed.

"You think your God saved you? No. That was a warning shot. This next attack will not miss," Shisui stated calmly as the smoke completely vanished, revealing an unharmed Shisui, who had raised his blood red bow and began charging another magic arrow to shoot at Freed.

"Whoa! Look at that! He's manifested a bow out of pure magical energy!" Gray shouted in surprise.

"That's incredible! He must be an exceptional Wizard to do that!" Levy cried, almost laughing in awe.

"Agreed. This man is definitely not to be trifled with," Freed muttered, again nodding in agreement with his own statement.

"It won't miss, will it? Very well then! I'll prove to you that Lord Indra protects me. Take your best shot! I shall not move!" Sellzen boasted, holding his arms out in open challenge to Shisui.

" _NOW, REMEMBER! ABSOLUTE FOCUS IS REQUIRED IN ORDER TO USE THIS TECHNIQUE!"_ The second voice stated as Shisui began to power up another shot.

" _I got it, I got it. Just pour magic energy into the hand you fire with, shape it, draw back like a real bow and fire,"_ Shisui responded, doing exactly that, as he took aim with his next shot.

This time, however, Shisui poured way too much magic energy into the bow and as he fired the arrow, it exploded as it left the bow, burning the right hand sleeve off his jacket as he released the arrow.

"Goddamn it!" Shisui winced in pain.

" _YOU FOOL! WHAT DID I JUST TELL YOU?! I DIDN'T TEACH YOU THE CRIMSON BOW AND ARROW TECHNIQUE ONLY TO BLOW YOURSELF UP!"_ The second voice roared angrily.

" _Give it a rest would you? I needed to make it more powerful so I could be certain it'd hit its mark. Look…"_ Shisui snapped as he watched the flight path the arrow took.

The arrow completely missed Sellzen, but that was because Shisui wasn't aiming for Sellzen. He was aiming for something much, _much_ bigger.

Shisui had used Freed Sellzen's hubris against him. In his attempt to prove he was being protected by a God, Shisui had decided to fire an arrow right at the Air Raid Vehicle, right down the barrel of the Jupiter Cannon.

Everyone on board had seen the arrow coming, and were able to evacuate before the shot hit, except for a few whose job it was to try and get the airship away from danger. As the shot exploded inside the cannon, the ship's engines began to falter. Whoever was still on board managed to get it to turn around and limp away, but it ultimately crashed out in the sea and began to sink.

At this point, Sellzen would have begun to have a complete meltdown. However, the arrival of Shahkulu had prevented that from happening. There was no doubt Freed was pissed, but he knew Shahkulu was the greater asset than the airship he had stolen.

Shisui still hadn't mastered the new technique he had learned, so he was no longer able to keep the bow manifested. Opening his left hand, he let the bow fade away as he dropped his arms to the side. That's when she saw it.

"That's it!" Mirajane shouted, confusing everyone.

"Huh?" Everyone responded in unison, looking at Mirajane strangely.

"That, there!" Mirajane pointed, looking at Shisui's arm.

When Shisui fired the second arrow and burned away part of his sleeve, it revealed the tattoo that he had been given by the mysterious Huntress in Crocus. Mirajane had seen the tip of the tattoo when she last saw Shisui. The 'weird triangle' she had seen was the point of the sword and part of the snake's head.

"It's a tattoo? So what?" Gray shrugged.

"That's what I've been trying to find!" Mirajane responded.

"Why?" Erza raised an eyebrow.

"Because I've seen it before," Mirajane snapped, glaring at Erza.

"You have? I suppose it's pretty unique. Where did you see it?" Cana asked.

"I'm pretty sure Shisui had it," Mirajane responded, causing everyone to sigh and roll their eyes. "What?"

"You can't be serious. You honestly think that Shisui would get a tattoo?" Erza snorted.

"Why not? It's not illegal or anything, and he has a Guild Mark like everyone else. Why wouldn't he?" Mirajane replied, ignoring the attitude Erza was giving her.

"Hold on, wait. Are you trying to say you think this soldier is Shisui?" Levy asked, nervously inserting herself into the conversation.

"Ha! Yeah, right. As if he'd be a soldier! Soldiers have to be good people, and protect others. All he does is harms them," Natsu shouted. It was clear he still hadn't gotten over his hostility towards Shisui.

"Ohh, now you've done it…" Happy mumble as he watched a furious Mirajane lunge at Natsu, but was held back by Erza.

"You take that back!" Mirajane screamed.

"Mira… Natsu does have a point. That guy nearly killed you when he and that other guy dropped in on the Guild Hall…" Lisanna mumbled, pointing out a very valid point.

"Yeah, but he didn't. He stopped because he saw it was me," Mirajane protested.

"Nah, I'm not buying it. Anyone would have stopped if they had the wrong person in their hands. A soldier wouldn't kill you for no reason," Gray responded.

"Would you brats shut up and watch? Looks like this battle is about to get underway," Laxus growled, silencing the children.

Laxus was right. With the arrival of Shahkulu, the real battle was about to take place. The masked Pergrandian Warrior stepped forward, removing a collapsible spear from his back and put it together, pointing the head at Shisui.

" _YOU HAD BETTER END THIS QUICK, BOY. I CAN FEEL YOU GROWING WEAKER…"_ The second voice growled cautiously.

" _INDEED. … IS RIGHT, YOU DON'T HAVE MUCH MAGIC ENERGY LEFT. THAT SHIELD YOU MADE TO PROTECT THOSE BRATS DRAINED A HUGE PORTION OF YOUR MAGIC ENERGY,"_ The first voice added, yet Shisui still couldn't hear the name the voice had said.

" _Be silent! They are my friends. I'm not going to let any harm come to them!"_ Shisui snapped.

"You have been a constant thorn in The Master's side for a while now, boy. I have orders to eliminate you with extreme force," Shahkulu growled. His voice sounding like iron from behind his own mask.

"Go ahead and try," Shisui growled, raising his arms again. "Wind, Earth, Shadow. Three Layer Magic Summoning. Divine Tempest; Spear of Valhalla."

As Shisui brought the three Magic Circles together, black clouds began to swirl in the sky and lighting began to strike. One bolt of bright blue lighting crashed down a few inches away from Shisui, but he didn't flinch.

The 'lighting' was actually a weapon. A large black spear with a giant spearhead. The edges of the spear were finned and looked like shark teeth. This was a deadly spear, designed to inflict mortal wounds with even the most shallow of cuts.

All along the shaft were runic markings and other inscriptions that glowed blue, creating small sparks of lightning as Shisui grabbed the spear, causing the runes to glow green at his touch. As he picked up the spear and lifted it above his head, Shisui began to spin the spear around, causing more bolts of lightning to crackle from the spear's giant arc.

" _LISTEN, BOY! I SENSE DEALANAICH'S POWER NEAR BY! SOMEONE POSSESSES HER POWERS!"_ The first voice growled.

" _Who the hell is Dealanaich?"_ Shisui asked, still spinning the spear above him, while watching Shahkulu closely.

" _FOOL! YOU CALL YOURSELF A DRAGON SLAYER, YET CANNOT SENSE THE POWERS OF ONE WHEN IT'S NEAR BY! HER THUNDER WOULD AUGMENT THAT SPEAR TENFOLD!"_ The second voice roared in anger.

At the mention of a Dragon and 'her thunder', Shisui knew exactly who the voices meant.

Dealanaich was the name of the Lightning Dragon.

Slamming his spear into the ground, Shisui discharged the lighting stored in the spear into the ground, creating a net of lighting, giving all of Freed Sellzen's Acolytes pause for thought. Using this brief pause, Shisui turned and looked directly at Laxus.

"You. You hold the power of the Lightning Dragon," Shisui growled, his voice sounding cold and inhuman from behind his mask.

"Yeah, so what? What business is it of yours what Magic I use? Fuck off," Laxus snapped, scowling at Shisui.

" _INSOLENT PISS ANT! DOES HE NOT KNOW WHOM HE SPEAKS TO!?"_ The second voice roared in fury.

" _CALM YOURSELF… IF HE WILL NOT GIVE US HIS POWER, THEN WE SHALL TAKE IT!"_ The first voice snapped. Again, Shisui could not make out the name that was spoken.

" _What?! Are you out of your mind?! I'm not taking his power! Laxus might be an asshole, but he's still one of my Guildmates!"_ Shisui protested.

" _ENOUGH OF YOUR INANE PRATTLE! I SHALL DO THIS MYSELF!"_ The first voice growled.

Before Shisui could comprehend what had been said, he lost all feeling in his body as it began to move on its own; as if he were a puppet on a string.

Unable to control his movements, Shisui watched as his body sprinted towards Laxus, who was taken by surprise at the brevity of Shisui's movements. Had he been given more time to react, Shisui knew Laxus would have transformed into lightning and moved away from his grasp at light speed.

What actually happened was Shisui rushed at Laxus and slammed both hands against Laxus' head and grabbed hold of it as his body began to absorb the power of Dealanaich, the Lightning Dragon.

Everyone watched in shock and awe as Laxus Dreyar, grandson of Master Makarov Dreyar and one of Fairy Tail's strongest Wizards, was neutralised by a Colonel of the Royal Fiore Army. In just a few short seconds, a large amount of Laxus' magic was absorbed by this Colonel and Laxus collapsed into a heap on the ground, barely conscious.

"Laxus!" Freed, Bickslow, and Evergreen all cried at once.

"Remain calm. Your friend is unharmed. He's merely lost a large amount of Magic Energy. With rest, he will be fine," Shisui muttered as he produced an orb of yellow lighting testing out his new, albeit temporary power.

" _WHAT THE HELL?! Not only can you control me like some damn puppet, but you can force me to talk as well?! Who the hell are you?!"_ Shisui roared in anger.

" _THAT SHOULD BE OBVIOUS BY NOW! WE CAN SENSE DRAGON SLAYER MAGIC, AND TEACH YOU NEW DRAGON SLAYER TECHNIQUES! HOW CAN YOU NOT KNOW WHO WE ARE?!"_ The second voice roared.

At that point, the answer hit Shisui like a train, but he didn't have time to respond as he heard movement from behind him, and turned to see Shahkulu running towards him at unnatural speeds, spear pointed at him.

With a few seconds to spare, Shisui used Laxus' Lighting Teleportation technique to turn into a bolt of lightning and dodged the attack. Zig-zagging in his lightning form, Shisui made his way back over to his spear and returned to a physical form as he picked up his spear and pointed it at Shahkulu.

"Very impressive, boy. I can see why The Master has put out a Kill Order on you. You're far too dangerous to his plans to leave alive," Shahkulu growled.

Shisui said nothing as he and Shahkulu charged at each other, their spears clashing and creating a shockwave that cracked the earth beneath their feet. Each time they clashed, more earth became scorched and cracked by the impact, and the lightning Shisui's spear created.

"You think I don't know what you're trying to do?" Shahkulu growled as the two warriors clashed once more. "You seek to intimidate me with that mask of yours, as it represents my God of Death, Anubis."

"It is as I thought then. Sellzen isn't the mastermind behind this gang; _you are_ ," Shisui responded, his golden eyes locked with Shahkulu's dull yellow eyes.

"Very astute. Yes, you are correct. Sellzen is nothing more than a figurehead. A lunatic who was easy to manipulate. He served The Master's plans well, but he is expendable. He was simply the first person I was able to manipulate," Shahkulu grunted as the two broke free and readied their spears for another assault.

"So, The Eagle shows his true colours, not the puppet, but the puppet-master," Shisui slammed his spear into the earth, sending a bolt of lightning at Shahkulu, who dodged it by slicing the ground in front of him, creating a fissure that allowed the lightning to discharge harmlessly.

"You know a lot about me, Colonel. I am impressed. Unfortunately, that means I cannot allow you to leave this place alive," Shahkulu warned, pointing his spear at Shisui.

"Funny, I was about to say the same to you," Shisui replied, copying Shahkulu's actions before the pair charged at each other with another flurry of attacks.

"What's going on? I thought that soldier was meant to save us, not hurt us?" Levy asked, looking over at Laxus, who was now sat up, but very weak.

"I think that was what you'd call a 'necessary evil'," Erza responded, watching the two warriors battle it out with their spears.

"Erza is right. You heard what he said to Laxus. He must have required his Lightning Dragon Slayer Magic to use that spear," Cana reasoned.

"I wasn't aware you could take someone's Dragon Slayer Magic," Evergreen protested, using her fan to try and revive Laxus with some cool air.

"Well, don't ask me; I haven't got a clue!" Natsu stated.

"I don't we needed you to tell us something we already knew," Happy sighed, getting a murmur of agreement from everyone.

"Shut up, Happy!" Natsu shouted, trying to swat at the flying cat as he hovered above Natsu's head.

"Shisui once told me it's not impossible to do, so long as your element can synchronise with the element you're taking, but he did say that it can be very dangerous, as you're basically taking in an element that isn't your own and storing it alongside your primary element," Levy explained.

"So, it'd kinda be like Natsu eating ice to power his Fire Dragon Magic?" Gray asked.

"No, think of it more like you're injecting yourself with a drug that can give you a significant boost of strength, but is also poisoning you; the more you take, the stronger you become, but it also has a chance of killing you. That's how Shisui explained it to me," Levy responded.

"So, whoever this Colonel is, he's going to great and dangerous lengths to make sure we're safe?" Lisanna asked.

"Yes, but you're forgetting one very important fact, sis. He's also a Dragon Slayer," Mirajane added, as she watched the Colonel's spear cut a bolt of lightning through the earth.

"Hey, Erza, you know your weapons. What is that spear that soldier is using? It looks exceedingly powerful," Bickslow asked.

"I didn't think such a thing existed. It's supposed to be a myth, but it seems to be real," Erza muttered, looking at the spear closely. "The Spear of Valhalla is supposed to be a divine weapon, belonging to the God King Odin. It uses an immense amount of Lightning Magic, so it'd make sense that he'd need Laxus' magic to use it. By all rights, it shouldn't even exist, yet here it is."

"So how did he know Laxus used Lightning Magic?" Cana asked, making everyone look at each other with uncertainty.

"Because he knew was the Lightning Dragon Slayer. C'mon, you don't think it's coincidence? The mark I saw, and now knowing what Laxus' magic was? I'm telling you, that soldier is Shisui!" Mirajane shouted.

"It's not that we don't believe you, Mira… It's just, well…" Lisanna mumbled.

"Well what?!" Mirajane snapped.

"It's just no-one else has seen this 'mark' you claim Shisui has. How do you know that's what you saw?" Erza responded tersely.

"I know what I saw!" Mirajane shouted.

"No, you don't. You didn't know what it was until that Colonel lost his sleeve and his tattoo was visible," Erza bit back.

"She's right, Mirajane. You pestered Laxus over a tattoo that you said you weren't sure of when asked about its design," Freed interjected. "You have no evidence of this officer being Shisui other than the simple fact you want it to be him."

"What?! Why would I want it to be Shisui?" Mirajane growled, narrowing her eyes.

"Because you have a crush on him," Evergreen stated without missing a beat.

"Wha…? I don't…" Mirajane stuttered, her face getting warm.

"Oh, please. We all see the way you act when he's around. How you act out to get his attention. We've all noticed. We're young, not stupid," Evergreen snapped.

"You… You bitch!" Mirajane yelled as she lunged at Evergreen, but was held back by Erza. "Let me go!"

"This is not the time to be arguing! That soldier is risking his life to protect us, and you're trying to fight amongst yourselves. Grow up, the pair of you!" Erza shouted, getting a dark scowl from both Mirajane and Evergreen.

Meanwhile, the battle between Shisui and Shahkulu raged on. Both warriors were evenly matched in skill, but thanks to the power of Shisui's spear, he was starting to get the upper hand; something Sellzen didn't take kindly to.

"Damn you! Why don't you just die already!" Sellzen spat as he lifted one of his guns and fired a shot at Shisui.

Shisui heard the shot and saw a flash of green light as the soul bullet raced towards his head. A simple slash with his spear discharged an arc of lightning that collided with the bullet, destroying it.

"What are you fools just standing around for?! Get in there and kill him!" Sellzen screamed, directing his followers to assist Shahkulu.

It didn't take long for Shisui to begin struggling. Shahkulu was a handful just on his own, now with six more of Sellzen's Acolytes in the battle, he was under constant attack, and he could feel his energy starting to drain. Eventually, his defences began to crumble, and Shisui was besieged by a flurry of attacks that broke through and were cutting him from every direction.

"Hey! That's not fair! It's seven against one! Come on, we need to help him!" Mirajane cried, trying to rally the other members of Fairy Tail to aid her.

"STAY WHERE YOU ARE!" Shisui roared, turning to look at Mirajane, his body all cut up and bloody,. Drops of blood were dripping off him and hitting the ground, staining the earth a dirty red.

Shisui knew he couldn't keep this up. If he had any chance of surviving this fight, he had to cut the head off of the snake; he had to kill Shahkulu. Now.

Pointing the tip of the spear directly at Shahkulu, Shisui charged directly at him, in an attempt to skewer him with his weapon. Sellzen's men were caught off-guard by the sudden burst of energy that they could only look on as Shisui ran right through them towards Shahkulu.

"YOU'RE MINE!" Shisui shouted as he stabbed forward, and with the spear aimed directly at Shahkulu's heart there was no way he could miss.

Except he _did_ miss.

Seconds before impact, Shahkulu did something Shisui never expected him to do. He burst into a cloud of smoke, the _exact same way_ Shisui normally did.

"What the…?" Shisui began, but stopped when he felt a searing pain in his chest.

Looking down, Shisui saw the head of Shahkulu's spear jutting out from his chest. It was covered in blood. _His_ blood.

Shahkulu ripped the spear out of Shisui's chest, causing him to drop to his knees.

"NO!" Mirajane cried out, voicing the one thing everyone was thinking.

"YES! YESYESYESYESYES! LORD INDRA BLESSES THE VIRTUOUS ONCE MORE!" Sellzen screamed in delight as he watched Shisui collapse to his knees and drop his spear. "Are you wondering how Shahkulu did that? A Pergrandian who has no magic? Well, let me tell you this; Pergrandians _do_ have magic! They just don't use it! Shahkulu has a particularly nasty kind of optical magic. He is able to record the last magic ability he saw and use it until he records another technique. How does it feel to have your own tricks used against you?!"

Time slowed to a crawl as Shisui fell face first to the ground as more and more blood flowed from his body onto the ground. Everyone in the Guild watched on in horror as they saw the Colonel's body hit the ground with a dull thud. While they had no idea who it was behind that mask, there was one thing that was a fact.

They had all just watched Shisui die.

* * *

 **A/N; New chapter. This one is important as it opens up a few mysteries, all things I've been planning since the start. I realise the minor issue with the fact there are two Freeds. I'm hoping you can distinguish who's who, but I've tried my best to state when Sellzen is talking. Oh, and spoiler alert; Shisui won't be dead for long. Yeah, yeah, it's all bullshit plot armour, but he's the main character. If I kill him off permanently, I have no story, which means you get no new updates. Hope you enjoy.**


	11. The Horseman and The Dragon

Chapter Eleven – The Horseman and The Dragon

"Goddamn it, what happened?" Shisui muttered as he opened his eyes, but saw nothing but black.

"YOU FOOL! HOW COULD YOU LET YOURSELF BE KILLED BY THAT DOG?!" The first voice growled, echoing through the void.

"Oh, great. So, not only am I dead, but I still have the Chuckle Brothers to annoy me," Shisui grumbled.

"YOU DARE INSULT US, BOY?!" The second voice roared with fury.

"THAT'S ENOUGH, SITHIS! FOOLISH AS HE MAY BE, WE CANNOT LET THE HORSEMAN CLAIM HIM!" The first voice responded.

"Sithis? Who is that?" Shisui asked.

"AHH, SO YOU _CAN_ HEAR MY NAME!" The second voice, now known as Sithis growled as a figure emerged from the void.

The figure was a dragon. A huge dragon with dark red scales, black wings and a sharp golden/yellow horn on its head.

"HMM… PERHAPS DEATH WAS WHAT YOU NEEDED TO BE ABLE TO HEAR OUR NAMES. LISTEN CLOSELY, BOY, AND I SHALL ATTEMPT TO SPEAK MY NAME SO YOU MAY HEAR IT!" The first voice growled, a figure emerging from out of the blackness.

This figure was also a dragon. This dragon, however, was a pale shade of green that seemed to glow slightly. Its wings were torn and had holes in them, and its scales were cracked and dying.

"I AM EXSPIRAVIT, AND I AM THE SPECTRAL DRAGON!" The first voice, calling himself Exspiravit roared.

"I AM SITHIS, AND I AM THE DEVIL DRAGON!" Sithis growled, as both dragons looked at Shisui.

"The Spectral and Devil Dragons? Never heard of you," Shisui shrugged, looking unimpressed.

"DO NOT ATTEMPT TO AGGRAVATE ME, BOY! I'M ALREADY FURIOUS THAT YOU GOT YOURSELF KILLED! IT IS ONLY BY OUR GOOD GRACES YOU YET CLING TO THIS WORLD!" Sithis exploded.

"MY BROTHER IS RIGHT. IT IS ONLY BECAUSE OF MY POWER THAT YOU STILL HAVE A HOPE OF SURVIVING!" Exspiravit responded.

"Your power? And what exactly _is_ your power, Spectral Dragon?" Shisui asked, looking at the deathly dragon.

"I COMMAND THE POWER OF THE SOUL AND DOMINION OVER DEATH!" Exspiravit explained.

"Power over death? So, that means you can make me immortal? How dull," Shisui sighed.

"NO, YOU FOOL! MY BROTHER PRESIDES OVER THE UNDERWORLD! AS SUCH, HE CAN CHOOSE WHETHER OR NOT A SOULIS MEANT TO BE SENT THERE!" Sithis roared.

"Right, and so why am I here? Wherever 'here' is…" Shisui asked, looking around at the nothingness.

"YOU ARE IN MY DOMAIN, BOY! I AM THE DEVIL DRAGON, RULER OF THE VOID!" Sithis exclaimed proudly.

"Ruler of the Void? I thought Devils lived in the Underworld. Why is Exspiravit the ruler of the Underworld, but you're not?" Shisui asked, looking at the Devil Dragon incredulously.

"WE ARE TWO PARTS OF THE UNHOLY TRINITY! THE VOID AND THE UNDERWORLD CO-EXIST! ONE CANNOT FUNCTION WITHOUT THE OTHER!" Exspiravit stated.

"Right, right… I suppose having someone with the power to control souls would be a better fit as ruler of the Underworld…" Shisui muttered.

"EXSPIRAVIT, WE ARE WASTING TIME HERE! I CAN FEEL THE HORSEMAN'S AGENT FAST APPROACHING!" Sithis warned.

"VERY WELL, WE DON'T HAVE MUCH TIME! LISTEN BOY, FOR I WILL ONLY SAY THIS ONCE! YOU ARE HERE BECAUSE YOUR JOB IS NOT YET DONE; YOUR DESTINY UNFULFILLED. I SHALL BROKER A DEAL WITH THE HORSEMAN IN EXCHANGE FOR YOUR LIFE, BUT THIS IS A ONE TIME DEAL. IF YOUDIE ONCE MORE, THAT'S IT. YOU WON'T BE COMING BACK," Exspiravit explained.

"IT IS TOO LATE! I CAN FEEL THE REAPER NOW! BROTHER, THE HORSEMAN HAS SENT MALTHAEL!" Sithis growled in fury.

"DAMN HIM! FINE, THEN WE HAVE NO CHOICE! BOY, YOU HAD BEST PREPARE YOURSELF! WHATEVER HAPPENS, YOU MUST NOT GIVE UP, DO YOU UNDERSTAND?" Exspiravit looked down at Shisui; his dead, green eyes still had traces of life in them.

Shisui said nothing as he watched the blackness of the Void melt away, revealing his surroundings. He was standing outside the Fairy Tail Guild Hall. His body on the floor next to him, in a pool of blood.

" _Shisui Karasuma. Your soul is wanted by my Master. I am here to claim it…"_ A disembodied voice spoke, causing a chill to run down Shisui's spine.

As he turned around, he was met with a large black mass that took on a humanoid form, its face hidden by a black hooded robe. A giant black and silver scythe hanging from one of its hands.

"IT'S MALTHAEL! BE WARY AROUND HIM, BOY! HE'S DANGEROUS!" Exspiravit growled.

"WE SHALL LEND YOU OUR POWERS, IN HOPES THAT IT WILL GIVE YOU THE EDGE YOU NEED TO KILL HIM!" Sithis roared, which filled Shisui with a huge boost of power.

"Bring it," Shisui glowered, not flinching before the Reaper.

* * *

The members of Fairy Tail all looked on in horror as they watched Shahkulu rip his spear out of Shisui's body and fall to the ground. No-one could speak for what felt like an eternity as the clouds above Magnolia began to blacken, and the first few drops of rain began to fall.

"Is… Is he really… Dead?" Gray swallowed hard, looking at the body of Shisui.

"That spear went right through his heart… He was dead before he hit the floor," Erza muttered, still reeling from what she had just witnessed.

"No… He… He can't be dead. He was supposed to save us. Get up… Get up!" Mirajane shouted as she took a step forward, before a hand grabbed her shoulder. She turned around and saw Laxus had grabbed her.

"I saw what happened…" Laxus said weakly. "That guy is dead. There's no two ways about it."

"No! H-He's just badly wounded! He can't die!" Mirajane protested.

"What's going on here?" A voice cried out, causing everyone to turn and look at who had spoken.

"Master Makarov!" Levy cried out, tears running down her face, which were masked by the rain that was now pouring heavily. "These people, they wanted to destroy our Guild Hall! But, that solider saved us. He died trying to save us!"

"What?!" Makarov gasped as he looked past the children to Freed Sellzen, Shahkulu and the dead officer. "You dare harm my children, and kill the person trying to save them?!"

"Be silent, you old fool. You all had it coming. The Will of Lord Indra bade me to destroy this pathetic little Guild Hall. He just managed to delay the inevitable," Sellzen spat, looking at the lifeless corpse of Shisui.

"He's not dead! He can't be!" Mirajane cried out, trying to break free from Laxus, who only tightened his grip on her shoulder. "Get up! Damn you, get up!"

Everyone simply watched with sadness as Mirajane was crying and screaming at the body, hoping that he would get up and save them. They wanted to stop her, but no-one could bring themselves to move or say anything.

"Mira…" Lisanna whispered, watching her big sister fall to her knees, sobbing.

"OPEN YOUR EYES!" Mirajane screamed.

Barely a second later, an explosion of green light erupted from the area around Shisui's body. A giant column of pale green light covered a large area, with Shisui's body at the centre.

Everyone looked on in shock as images began to take form within the pillar of light. After a few moments, the images became clear. What they saw was the fallen soldier fighting a cloaked apparition that was carrying a lethal looking scythe.

" _Give up! None shall defy the will of my Master! I will not hesitate to make a martyr out of you!"_ The apparition hissed.

"You wish for me to give up? That I just abandon my cause because your Master wants my soul? Go ahead and try to make a martyr out of me! I'd rather be a martyr than a soul without a cause!" Shisui shouted as he held up his right arm and manifested a red bow. "Crimson Bow and Arrow!"

The shot pierced Malthael's chest, causing the Reaper to roar in pain and fury. The scythe dropped, and Shisui used that to gain an opening.

"I can't believe it…" Laxus breathed. "That madman is going to try and kill a Reaper."

"Kill a Reaper? What, like _the_ Grim Reaper? Won't that mean no-one can die, if there's no Reaper?" Gray asked, looking at Laxus like he had two heads.

"No-one can die?! That's awesome! Then I don't have to hold back when I fight you, Laxus!" Natsu shouted as he leapt at Laxus, only to be punched in the face.

"Shut up, you idiot. A Reaper is simply a collector of souls. It harvests souls and takes them to the Underworld. Killing one won't stop death, but it'll definitely piss off the Horseman," Laxus smirked.

"The Horseman? Who's that?" Cana asked.

"Death," Laxus replied.

"I don't get it. How can you piss off death?" Gray asked.

"No, not the act, the being," Freed replied, only serving to confuse everyone further.

"What Freed means is the Horseman is called Death. He is one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Death, he who rides a white steed," Bickslow clarified.

"The Four Horsemen? I thought that was just a fable?" Cana raised an eyebrow.

"They are very real. War, Death, Strife, and Fury. These four beings are called upon to ride to Earth at the end of days," Freed explained.

"And the Horseman known as Death commands Reapers?" Gray asked.

"Yeah… Killing a Reaper is no easy feat, and you'll be marked for death by the Horseman himself," Laxus muttered.

"Looks pretty easy to me…" Erza shrugged as she watched the battle between the fallen Colonel and the mighty Reaper.

After Shisui's arrow hit Malthael, the Reaper dropped the arm that held the vicious scythe and he took the opportunity to capitalise. His magic bow vanishing, Shisui ran at the Reaper, using the scythe as a springboard as Malthael lifted the hafted weapon.

As the scythe elevated Shisui into the air, he twisted around and grabbed the long handle of the scythe and disarmed the Reaper. With a guttural roar, Shisui jerked the blade backwards, spearing Malthael in the gut, before ripping the blade upwards.

If Malthael were human, he'd have been bifurcated from the head down to the stomach. But, Malthael was a Reaper, an aspect of death. There was no blood, nor guts as Shisui cut the apparition almost in half with its own weapon, instead there was a flash of bright light that burst forth from the wound Malthael sustained.

" _No! You cannot defy my Master! The Horseman_ will _claim your soul!"_ Malthael roared as more cracks began to appear, with more light springing forth.

"Then I welcome the attempt!" Shisui shouted as he picked up the scythe properly and cleaved Malthael in two, splitting the Reaper at the waist. With a pained, disembodied roar, Malthael exploded in a flash of white light, which engulfed Shisui as well.

Moments later, a firestorm of green light emerged from the area, accented with flecks of dark red light. From within the cataclysm of light, a murky shadow appeared. The shadow simply stood there as the light subsided.

"What in the hell…?" Gray whispered as he was finally able to get a good look at the shadow.

"H-How?! We saw him die!" Levy gasped.

Standing before the members and Master of the Fairy Tail Guild was the Colonel everyone thought to be dead. The Colonel, however, looked somewhat different now than before he had fallen to Shahkulu's spear.

Shisui stood before his Guildmates and was emanating a pale green glow. The glow had taken on a shape around his body; one with wings, claws, and a tail. The mask he had on had now formed a pair of long, sharp horns that pointed forward, and two sets of fangs, one pair pointing down, and the other pair pointing up, like some sort of demonic overbite. But the biggest difference was the weapon Shisui was holding. He was now in possession of Malthael's scythe.

"Spectral Cloak…" Shisui breathed, his voice sounding inhuman and disembodied, similar to that of Malthael's voice.

As soon as those two words left Shisui's mouth, the spectral wings on his back unfurled, and the tail flailed about, smashing a small crater in the ground a few feet behind him.

"WHAT?! NO! YOU SHOULD BE DEAD! HOW ARE YOU STILL ALIVE?!" Sellzen roared in disbelief.

"Freed Sellzen… You have something that belongs to us…" Shisui growled, turning his head to look at the mad priest.

"I have nothing that is yours, scum! Be gone from this world!" Sellzen shouted, as he pulled out his guns again and fired two soul bullets at Shisui.

The bullets impacted with the Spectral Cloak that surrounded Shisui and simply vanished. Blinking in disbelief, Sellzen fired two more bullets… Which had the exact same effect; they impacted with the cloak and vanished.

"HOW?!" Sellzen practically screamed.

" _NOW, BOY! USE MY POWERS TO TAKE THOSE GUNS FROM HIM!"_ Exspiravit shouted.

Shisui stabbed the scythe into the ground and raised one hand into the air in front of him. After a few seconds, both the guns began to glow green, as they were ripped out of Sellzen's hands and into Shisui's.

The guns looked immaculate; they were silver and had black accents all over them. Both looked exactly the same, and were almost symmetrical, were it not for the two names engraved on the grips.

"Elizabeth and Patricia? What odd names for firearms…" Shisui muttered.

" _THESE GUNS BELONGED TO A REAPER, BEFORE SELLZEN TOOK THEM; DO NOT TRY TO UNDERSTAND HOW THEY THINK. LET OUR POWERS RUN THROUGH THEM, AND WE'LL MAKE THEM OUR OWN!"_ Sithis growled.

" _What sort of power does the Devil Dragon hold, exactly? You've been mute on that subject. I kinda know how Exspiravit's power works, but not yours,"_ Shisui asked the Dragon who was ever present in his body.

" _DO NOT THINK MY POWER TO BE THAT OF MOST OF MY KIN! MY POWER AUGMENTS PHYSICAL AND MAGICAL STRENGTH! WHEN YOU USE MY 'DRIVE TECHNIQUE', THE LONGER YOU HOLD ON BEFORE UNLEASHING AN ATTACK, THE MORE POWERFUL IT BECOMES!"_ Sithis explained.

" _A 'Drive Technique'?"_ Shisui raised an eyebrow.

" _A DRIVE TECHNIQUE IS AN ABILITY THAT BOOSTS A DRAGON SLAYER'S POWER. I HAVE ONE TOO, WHICH YOU ARE CURRENTLY USING, BUT SITHIS' DRIVE HAS A UNIQUE ABILITY; UPON ACTIVATION, IT DOUBLES YOUR OVERALL POWER EVERY TEN SECONDS!"_ Exspiravit clarified.

Shisui said nothing as he looked at the two guns he took from Sellzen; both had changed dramatically. The gun which was engraved with the name 'Elizabeth' had been replaced by 'Exspiravit' and had turned black with glowing green accents. On the grip, a small skull cloaked by fire was present, a mark that indicated this was indeed a Reaper's weapon.

The other gun, the one with the name 'Patricia' engraved on it had now been changed to 'Sithis' and was now black and red. Another skull engulfed in fire was present on the grip. Sheathing the pair of guns into the waistband of his trousers, Shisui took a deep breath and looked at Shahkulu and Sellzen.

"Devil Drive!" Shisui suddenly roared, resulting in an explosion of crimson energy to swirl in a column around him.

"Devil Drive?" Gray repeated.

"No way… A Devil Dragon?" Laxus muttered.

"Devil Dragon?!" Everyone cried in unison.

"Yeah… I heard theories of a Dragon that presided over Hell and the Underworld. I didn't think they were true," Laxus sighed, rubbing the back of his head.

"How do you know it's a Dragon? It could be another kind of Magic, right?" Cana asked.

"Not likely. Laxus is a Dragon Slayer, he has the Lighting Drive Ability to temporarily enhance his powers. No other kind of Magic uses such a technique," Freed elaborated.

"Alright, so what does this 'Devil Drive' do?" Lisanna asked, looking up at Makarov.

"I'm afraid I don't have the answer for that question, child," Makarov shook his head.

"Look! I think we're about to find out!" Mirajane pointed, now seeing the Colonel step forward from out of the crimson hellfire. His arms were covered in what looked like crimson flames that snaked all the way up into his jacket. Everyone assumed his entire body was covered in the crimson markings, which glowed exactly ten seconds after activating the Drive Technique.

As Shisui walked towards Sellzen, he heard the sound of yet another voice in his head. This one, however, belonged to a female. It wasn't angry like Exspiravit, or Sithis. This voice was calm and soothing.

" _Roar, my child. Strike fear into the hearts of your foes before they are banished from this world."_

"Don't just stand there! KILL HIM!" Sellzen screamed, furious that Shisui was not only alive, but he had taken his prized guns from him without any effort at all.

Several of Sellzen's men charged at Shisui, who had picked up the scythe he'd killed Malthael with before spearing the blade into the dirt and proceeding unarmed.

The first of Sellzen's Acolytes reached Shisui and went to throw a punch, but it was avoided easily by the reanimated Colonel who drove the heel into the man's ribcage. It wasn't a heavy blow by any means, but with Sithis' Drive Technique, he shattered the man's bones, sending shards directly into his heart.

The dead body hit the floor with a thud as Shisui marched on, breaking the bones of every man in his path. Shisui knew that he was killing them, and it was all because of Sithis' power, but he didn't care. He just kept adding bodies to the pile.

"What… What _are_ you?!" Sellzen roared as Shisui approached him.

"Your executioner…" Shisui's disembodied voice hissed from behind his demonic mask.

" _YES! DO IT! USE OUR POWER AND CRUSH THIS INSOLENT PISS-ANT!"_ Sithis roared.

Raising a hand toward the skies that were still pouring fast with rain, Shisui pointed a single finger into the air as thunder began to rumble.

"Forbidden Art of the Lightning Dragon… Executioner Style; High Voltage… ABSOLUTE MAXIMUM!" Shisui roared as thunder and lightning began to rip through the skies above.

"Laxus! Did you know such a technique existed?!" Freed cried over the roaring thunder.

"No! How the hell does this guy know about it?!" Laxus shouted back.

"Master! I'm scared!" Levy whimpered as she held onto Makarov for dear life.

"It's alright, children! I'll protect you all with my life!" Makarov shouted, beckoning his Guild Members over to him.

"ARE YOU READY TO DIE, SELLZEN? I AM GOING TO BURN YOU FROM EXISTANCE WITH THIS TECHNIQUE; NOT EVEN YOUR SOUL WILL SURVIVE SUCH AN ALMIGHTY ATTACK!" Sithis roared, using Shisui as a vessel for his words.

As Shisui unleashed the devastating attack, he felt a sharp pain in the shoulder of the arm that was channelling the lightning from the sky towards Sellzen. As a result of the sudden shock, Shisui's arm moved ever so slightly, causing his attack to ultimately miss his mark.

"WHO THE FUCK –?!" Sithis exploded as Shisui turned to see Shahkulu's spear had been shoved into his shoulder, which had thrown off his aim.

"Shahkulu… That was a most grievous error on your part. Now I know you must be dealt with first," Shisui growled as he ripped the spear from his body, the wound sealing itself in mere seconds. "Soul Puppetry!"

The spectral wings on Shisui's back spread out widely, causing Shahkulu to leap backwards instinctively. But they were merely a diversion to put space between the two combatants.

Raising a hand, the pale green claws shot out and buried themselves into the bodies of Sellzen's fallen Acolytes.

Everyone in the Fairy Tail Guild watched in horror as the men Shisui had killed began to stand up, almost like they were zombies.

"So, you intend to use our own men against us? Where is your sense of honour?" Shahkulu growled, looking at the now standing bodies of his allies.

"You stab me in the back with a cheap shot, and you have the audacity to ask where my honour is?" Shisui hissed.

"DEAL WITH THEM, SHAHKULU! THAT IS A DRIECT ORDER FROM LORD INDRA!" Sellzen screamed in fury.

"Copy Magic; Forbidden Art of the Lightning Dragon… Executioner Style; High Voltage… Absolute Maximum," Shahkulu muttered, looking Shisui directly in the eye as he spoke.

Just like Shisui had done, Shahkulu raised a hand into the sky as lightning began to crackle above them. With one finger, Shahkulu brought a bolt of lightning down from the sky, and fired it at the reanimated corpses of the fallen Acolytes.

The dead men were not Shahkulu's real target, however. His real target were the members of the Fairy Tail Guild, stood directly behind the throng of corpses.

"You son of a bitch!" Shisui roared as he leaped in between the corpses and his Guildmates.

The corpses were erased from existence. Not even a speck of ash or any other kind of matter remained. The bolt of white lightning was travelling directly at Shisui, the next victim of Shahkulu's attack.

"NO! GET OUT OF THE WAY!" Mirajane cried in terror as the lightning bolt reached Shisui.

As the bolt of lightning reached Shisui, he raised two fingers on his right hand and allowed the bolt to hit his fingers directly, but he wasn't atomised.

Everyone watched on in shock and awe as they watched the Colonel take the bolt of lightning with his right hand, and _redirect_ the lightning with his left hand, back into the sky.

"You think you can kill me so easily, Shahkulu? You think I'll let you harm these kids?" Shisui growled, breathing heavily, his left hand clutching at the mask on his face.

"Look at you! You're exhausted! You can't keep this up!" Sellzen laughed, as Shahkulu watched on, cautiously.

"Exhausted? Hardly…" Shisui responded, his breathing becoming ragged, his eyes glaring at the two men from behind his mask before he turned to face his Guildmates, primarily Natsu.

"Hey… What are you staring at me for?" Natsu mumbled.

"You, boy… You possess the power of the Fire King, Igneel. I want it," Shisui growled.

"What?! No way! This is my power! Go get your own!" Natsu shouted bravely.

"I won't hurt you, but if you want me to get rid of these men, you'll give me that power!" Shisui responded.

"Just do it, you idiot! He nearly died to save us!" Mirajane shouted, smacking Natsu on the head.

"Ow! What did you do that for?!" Natsu cried, holding onto his head.

"Give. Him. Your. Power." Mirajane hissed.

"Ugh, fine! Just don't take it all!" Natsu sighed, surprising Shisui with how easily he conceded.

Shisui grabbed Natsu by his head and absorbed a considerable amount of his Fire Dragon Slayer Magic. He did, however, keep his word and left Natsu unharmed.

"Now… Let me tell you about my Devil Drive…" Shisui hissed as he walked away from the children towards Shahkulu and Sellzen.

"I admire his bravery, and redirecting that lightning was badass, but he's spent. Look at him, he can barely stand!" Gray shouted, looking at the swaying body of Shisui.

"No, that… It can't be…" Makarov whispered.

"What's wrong, Master?" Erza asked, raising an eyebrow.

"My Devil Drive doubles my overall power every ten seconds. A power that you should both be well aware of, since I took it from the boy you sent to kill me," Shisui growled, clenching his hand, as the crimson flames glowed bright red again.

"So what?! You think I can't tame you, like I tamed that boy?!" Sellzen spat, pointing at the Fairy Tail Members behind Shisui. "I just have to find a weakness to exploit."

"It has been exactly one hundred and eighty seconds since I activated my Devil Drive, Sellzen. In that time, my power has doubled _eighteen times_. Now, I am going to burn you from this world with hellfire and brimstone," Shisui growled, stretching his arms out to his sides, his spectral wings on his back following suit.

Everyone watched as Shisui began to float up into the sky. Everyone looked on in awe, but Makarov watched in pure terror.

"No, boy! Don't do it; you'll kill us all!" Makarov shouted, sounding noticeably shaken.

"You thought you could kill me? I… Shall never… DIE!" Shisui growled demonically as the skies stopped pouring rain and began to swirl until the clouds began to turn red.

"What… What's happening, Master?" Lisanna whimpered as she looked at the crimson clouds massing above them.

"Fear me, for I shall never die. As fire claims the sky, you cannot run, nor can you hide. Your cries will echo through the night. Under crimson skies, you'll never be able to hide…" Shisui muttered as he rose higher into the sky, red lighting striking across the sky. "Divine Tempest Magic…"

"NO! DON'T DO IT!" Makarov yelled in fear.

The whole world began to slow to a crawl and everyone took a collective breath as Shisui uttered the final word.

"Ragnarok."

In the skies above, the clouds were ripped open as flaming meteors began to fall, pelting the earth and setting the ground ablaze. Absolute chaos began to rain down on the ground beneath Shisui, as the meteors smashed into the waters of the harbour, causing the water to rise up.

"Master! What's happening?!" Freed shouted, covering his head in a feeble attempt to protect himself from any meteors that might hit him.

"The end of the world…" Makarov muttered as he watched Shisui drop back to earth and slam his hands into the ground, creating a small crater.

"Take all you have brought to sacrifice, for you will lose much more… If you succeed in this battle, you still will lose so much more… The time has come to face all evil…" Shisui growled as the wings on his back stretched out again, his glare fixed on Shahkulu.

"STOP HIM, YOU FOOL! DON'T LET HIM WIN!" Sellzen screamed frantically. He knew, deep in his evil, twisted heart, that the end was near.

"NOW THE SEAS RISE UP AS SERPENTS, SPWANED FROM THE MOUTH OF EARTH'S SURFACE! AS THE SKIES NOW FALL FAST BURNING, OPEN WIDE AND FACE THE SUFFERING!" Shisui roared, his rage backed by both the power of Exspiravit and Sithis.

Every word that escaped Shisui's lips caused more chaos as more fire began to fall down from the sky, and the waters in the harbour began to rage uncontrollably as it rose like a tsunami was incoming.

"THE INFERNO SPEWS OUT HELL'S HORDES, CASTING THE FLAMES UPON OUR WORLD! AS DEATH ECLIPSES ALL THE LIGHT, MAKE YOUR LAST STAND! UNTIL DEATH; FIGHT! DIVINE TEMPEST SUMMONING; APEP, WORLD ENCIRCLER!"

"No! That's impossible! How can a mere mortal summon the Devourer of Souls?!" Shahkulu roared, his voice betraying his actions, he was terrified.

To the absolute horror of everyone watching, rising from the waves was a massive serpent which stood at least fifty feet tall, its golden eyes transfixed on its targets.

"Apep! Behold the Mark of the Blade! I have summoned you as Anubis' Champion; his Conductor of Souls! I order you to devour the souls of these men to appease your Master!" Shisui shouted, raising up his arm that held the tattoo on his forearm, before pointing at Sellzen and Shahkulu.

The serpent, Apep, glared at Shisui and hissed, its forked tongue flicking out of its mouth as its giant gaping maw revealed two very large, very sharp fangs.

"A giant snake? Meteors? Christ, this is getting out of control!" Bickslow shouted over the chaos that was falling to the earth.

"What the hell is that thing anyway?!" Cana yelled, looking at the giant serpent in terror.

"It's Apep! The Devourer of Souls!" Levy shouted. "It's supposed to be a mythical creature from Pergrandian Mythology. It's a serpent from the depths of the Underworld, summoned to the surface by its master, the Pergrandian God of Death; Anubis!"

"What?! So this guy can summon Gods?!" Gray shouted in disbelief.

"No, that's impossible! Gods aren't real!" Erza cried out, standing her ground as the serpent let out a loud screech before it dove into the waters it came from.

"Shahkulu! Do something, you fool!" Sellzen bellowed, as he crawled backwards towards the edge of the harbour.

That was the last thing Freed Sellzen ever said. The moment he reached the edge of the harbour, the long, thick tail of Apep ensnared him and dragged him down into the water. Bubbles formed on the surface of the water which were caused by Sellzen screaming as he was dragged into the depths of the water by the Devourer of Souls.

"You… How do you command the World Encircler?!" Shahkulu roared.

"You think I would hunt you down without doing my research on you? I know you revere your Gods, and that means you also fear their power. Knowing this, I made a deal with Anubis to destroy you for your blatant disrespect of your land's deities," Shisui responded.

What Shisui said was a complete lie, but Shahkulu didn't know that. All Shahkulu knew was Shisui had cheated death, and the mention of Anubis made the lie all the more believable. Shahkulu really started to believe Shisui had been returned to the World of the Living by the God of Death to kill him, and it was that hesitation that cost Shahkulu dearly.

"Now, Apep! Devour this heretic!" Shisui roared.

A few seconds later, the giant serpent broke through the surface of the water and lunged at Shisui. Before Shahkulu could react, he was speared by both of Apep's giant fangs, which then slammed him into the ground, pinning his body in place.

"No…! I was… I always respected Lord Anubis, and all the other Gods. Why would he send the Devourer of Souls after me; a loyal worshipper?" Shahkulu rasped. "Please, Lord Anubis, take pity on this misguided soul."

"Men who make a fetish out of murder deserve no pity," Shisui growled as he walked over to Shahkulu's body. "Look at yourself. What do you see?"

Shahkulu looked at his body, and what he saw stunned him.

"No! That's… That's impossible!" Shahkulu gasped.

The fangs of Apep were not real. Apep was not real. It had all been an illusion created by Shisui. The 'fangs' were two weapons. One was the scythe Shisui had taken from Malthael. The other was Shisui's Spear of Valhalla that he had used to fight Shahkulu.

"I'll give you one chance to redeem yourself, in the eyes of your Gods… You are part of an organisation that refers to you as 'The Eagle'… Who is the one you call Master?" Shisui muttered as he grabbed Shahkulu's throat.

"Per… Pergrande… It is where our organisation is most powerful; all my brothers and sisters are there, controlling the entire nation. You cannot stop us. I am but a mere piece of the puzzle. As for The Master? I'll never tell you," Shahkulu rasped before he grabbed one of Shisui's bracers and whispered a single word in his ear…

"Then go to your Gods, and let them judge you for your actions," Shisui muttered as he witnessed a strange event unfold.

After Shahkulu had been hit with both the spear and the scythe, he started to emit a dim light. As he spoke to Shisui, the light got brighter and it looked as if pieces of his body were falling off and turning into the now golden light. The event lasted barely a minute, but within that time, Shahkulu had completely vanished, completely absorbed by the golden light.

"Wait, did I just see that right? The snake vanished!" Lisanna gasped.

"What did that guy do? How could a massive snake just vanish into thin air?" Evergreen asked, clearly shocked by what she had seen.

"It was an illusion. That snake wasn't real," Makarov stated.

"An illusion? How do you know that?" Natsu asked incredulously.

"Divine Tempest Magic… I've seen such a magic only once before. It uses illusions and physical phenomena to overwhelm an opponent's senses. But I fear that's only scratching at the surface of what it can really do," Makarov explained.

"Where did you see such a magic before, Master?" Erza asked, genuinely interested.

"No, I promised to keep such a thing secret; even telling you the name of that Magic was revealing too much. I am sorry, but I can't tell you any more than what I have," Makarov replied.

" _INCREDIBLE! SIMPLY INCREDIBLE! NOW, I CAN ADD THIS SOUL TO MY COLLECTION!"_ Exspiravit roared with twisted delight.

" _Maybe you can use it to broker a deal with the Horseman, like you said,"_ Shisui muttered.

" _DO NOT BE SO FOOLISH! YOU THINK THE HORSEMAN WILL WANT SUCH A PETTY SOUL IN EXCHANGE FOR YOURS?!"_ Sithis laughed darkly.

" _Look, I really don't care. My enemies are dead, it's time to return to Crocus,"_ Shisui turned and walked away but inwardly sighed as he saw Mirajane approach him.

"You're ok! I'm so glad you're unharmed!" Mirajane sighed as she looked at the battered and bloody soldier before him.

"I'm fine, child. What about you and your friends? Are you all unharmed?" Shisui asked, his voice still disguised by his demonic looking mask.

"I think so…" Mirajane began, but was cut off when Shisui began to walk off. "Hey, stop! Shisui!"

Shisui stopped when Mirajane shouted out his name. How did she know?

"That is not my name, child…" Shisui muttered. He hated lying to his friends, but none of them could know it was him.

"Don't give me that! I know it's you. You did that thing where you turn into a cloud of shadows to avoid an attack, and you have that tattoo. I saw it the last time you were here!" Mirajane protested.

Shisui inwardly swore at his carelessness in battle. It was second nature to him to use his Shadow Burst technique to avoid any attacks. He had hoped he managed to cover up the tattoo well enough, but he was surprised how well Mirajane was able to remember from the mere glimpse she got of it.

"No, girl. I am not your friend. I am the Colonel of the Royal Fiore Army. That shadow technique I used? I stole it from him. Much like I took the Fire and Lightning Dragon's powers from those two in your Guild," Shisui replied coldly, turning to face Mirajane, who looked worried. "Calm yourself, I did not harm your friend, but he does now carry my brand. A side-effect of my power transferral technique, that I have since perfected."

"Hold on, what kind of Dragon Slayer can steal the power from other Dragon Slayers? I've never heard of such a thing," Cana pointed out, looking at Shisui suspiciously.

"One who holds dominion over their souls. I am the Spectral Dragon Slayer; I am endowed with Exspiravit's power; the Spectral Dragon. His power allows me to harness any kind of Dragon Slayer Magic, be it from a Lacrima, or from the boy who holds the power of the Fire King Igneel," Shisui spoke, but it was as a vessel for the voice of Exspiravit.

"How can such a thing work?" Lisanna asked.

"Simple. All Dragon Slayer Magics require the soul of a Dragon to use. Lacrima are simply containers for a portion of a Dragon's Soul. As one who commands the souls of this world, I can take any form of Dragon Slayer Magic and use it how I see fit. It is, however, temporary. In a few hours, I'll lose the ability to use any kind of Fire or Lightning Dragon Slayer Magic," Exspiravit continued.

" _YOU'RE A NATURAL AT LYING TO PEOPLE, AREN'T YOU, BOY?"_ Sithis chuckled as he watched everything unfold.

" _Be silent, you damn fool. I don't feel proud of it, but they can't know their friend is a powerful warrior who can murder in cold blood. They'd be terrified of me if they knew,"_ Shisui snapped, getting another laugh from Sithis.

"So what happens now?" Erza asked.

"You, old man… I take it you're the Master of this Guild?" Shisui asked as he approached Makarov.

"Indeed I am," Makarov spoke up, looking Shisui directly in the eye.

The look Makarov gave Shisui meant he knew _exactly_ who was behind the mask. Shisui wasn't surprised. Makarov had witnessed him using Ragnarok once before, and that is how Makarov knew it was him.

"On behalf of the Royal Kingdom of Fiore, I apologise for the damage your Guild Hall has suffered," Shisui began, looking at the destroyed Fairy Tail Guild Hall. His Ragnarok Spell had reduced the entire thing to rubble. Shisui saw the irony in his actions, which only made him feel all the more guilty.

"An apology isn't going to fix this mess, you know," Makarov looked at Shisui sharply.

"I am aware. That is why I shall make sure the Army covers the costs for any and all renovations to your Guild Hall, and any upgrades you deem necessary," Shisui responded.

"Hmm, I suppose we can't complain with that offer. I'll start drawing up plans, and I'll be sending the Army a bill when the repairs have been complete," Makarov sighed.

"Very well.. Now, I really should be returning to Crocus. His Majesty needs to know about the–" Shisui began, before he was interrupted by a scream.

"Let go of me!" Mirajane cried out.

Everyone turned to see a horribly disfigured creature had grabbed a hold of Mirajane and was holding her hostage.

"You think I'm going to give up so easily. Lord Indra punishes those with such a weak will, but rewards those who are loyal to him," The beast growled.

"What? Sellzen? You… You're a Chimera?!" Shisui growled.

"YES! LOOK UPON MY TRUE, PERFECT FORM! LORD INDRA BLESSED ME WITH UNLIMITED POWER, AND THIS IS THE RESULT OF SUCH A BLESSING!" Sellzen roared, his voice sounding as twisted and disfigured as his body.

Half of Sellzen's body had transformed into a disgusting mass of scales that oozed black sludge. His hair had turned into something akin to seaweed, and his teeth had become razor sharp fangs.

"Let the girl go, Sellzen, or you will be going to your Lord Indra sooner than you think," Shisui growled as he slowly put a hand behind his back. Everyone but Sellzen and Mirajane saw what he was reaching for.

"YOU THINK YOU CAN STOP ME?! A PERFECT BEING THAT HAS BEEN BLESSED BY LORD INDRA! DON'T MAKE ME–!"

 _BANG!_

The shot exploded and echoed all around the immediate area, silencing everything. Not even the birds made a sound as they flew off.

Sellzen was dead before he hit the floor. This time, Shisui was absolutely certain of that fact, because the bullet he fired at Sellzen had been from the gun that held the powers of Sithis. Upon impacting with Sellzen's mutated skull, the bullet penetrated the bone, literally drilling its way into the brain before it exploded, which caused Sellzen's head to explode in turn.

Blood, bone fragments, and brain matter flew everywhere as the body fell to the earth, the hands still twitching before stopping for good.

"Are you alright, child?" Shisui asked as he walked over to Mirajane and placed a hand on her cheek, to make sure she was unharmed.

Mirajane couldn't form the words to respond, so she simply nodded. At her nod, Shisui stood up and sheathed the gun into his waistband again before he turned and began to walk away.

"Wait!" Mirajane shouted. "Where is Shisui?"

The question stopped Shisui in his tracks. Of course she was going to ask him that.

"He's still in Crocus, but for how much longer, I cannot be sure. When I last saw him, after he got into a fight with some of my Officers, he was looking for someone who could help him with Dragon Slayer Lacrima. I have a feeling his journey will take him to some of the darkest corners of Earth-Land…" Shisui muttered.

"I wanna see him," Mirajane demanded.

"That is not something I can arrange. He might have already left on another journey. I don't know what he plans, as it's none of my concern," Shisui stated coldly, causing Mirajane to frown. "But… If I see him, I'll let him know you asked for him."

"You don't even know my name though!" Mirajane shouted as Shisui walked off.

"Don't worry. Something tells me he doesn't know a lot of young girls who are loud-mouthed and have silver hair," Shisui retorted, smirking behind his mask, albeit no-one could see his smirk.

Shisui managed to get about ten feet from where he was stood before everything began to slow down until everything around him had frozen in place, as if he was looking at a picture.

" _THE HORSEMAN… HE'S HERE…"_ Sithis growled dangerously.

Shisui felt the world around him melt away into blackness as he slowly fell to the ground.

Everyone else had watched Shisui walk away from Mirajane before he stopped and collapsed to his knees, and fell forward, as if the life had been sucked out of him. Everyone rushed over to him in a panic, making sure the soldier was unharmed, but there seemed to be no life in his body whatsoever…

* * *

"Goddamn it, now what?!" Shisui shouted into the void, expecting Sithis or Exspiravit to answer him.

"You have put me in quite a predicament, Shisui Karasuma," A voice rasped from the darkness.

"Who's there?! Show yourself!" Shisui snapped. He was in no mood for games.

"Not only do you kill my best Reaper, you also have the balls to demand me to show myself to you? I'd be very careful with your next words, child," The voice snapped as a form emerged from the darkness.

It was a man. Well, it was a humanoid figure, to say it was simply a man would be incorrect. The individual had pale skin and a large tattoo on their right shoulder. A head of long, thin black hair framed a face with bright orange eyes, covered by a skull mask. On their chest was a wound that looked to have been filled in by crystal-like shrapnel, which had torn holes in the figure's skin.

"YOU FORGET YOUR STATION, NEPHILIM!" Sithis roared as he and Exspiravit emerged from the Shadows at Shisui's sides.

"The Red Dragon… I did not expect to see you here. My business is not with you, Ddraig…" The figure Sithis had addressed responded.

"YOU DARE INSULT ME BY REFERRING TO ME AS MY FOOLISH BROTHER?! WATCH YOURSELF, HORSEMAN! I CARE NOT WHO CREATED YOU AND YOUR KIN!" Sithis exploded in fury.

"Ddraig…?" Shisui muttered. "So, you are the Horseman known as Death? What is it you want, my soul?"

"No, I've come to you with an offer. The Spectral Dragon assures me taking your soul now would be a waste of your talents, and I am inclined to agree. Killing Malthael was no easy feat, and now being in possession of my most powerful scythe is admirable, but killing him has upset the balance I am ordered to keep; the balance you helped restore slightly by killing Freed Sellzen, who killed another one of my most promising Reapers, and stealing his guns," Death remarked.

"Balance? What is this shit? You're one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, why do you care about balance?" Shisui spat.

"I am compelled to protect the balance of all plains of existence at the order of the Charred Council. Something my kin threatened millennia ago," Death retorted.

"AH, YES… YOUR TITLE AS 'KINSLAYER' PROCEEDS YOU, HORSEMAN! I STILL REMEMBER THE DAY MY DOMAIN WAS FLOODED WITH THE SOULS OF NEPHILIM, ALL SENT TO ME BY THE VERY SCYTHE YOUR REAPER MALTHAEL POSSESSED!" Exspiravit growled.

"You killed all the Nephilim?" Shisui asked.

"Not all of them, no… Two of my brothers, and one of my sisters remain; the four of us who were more interested in keeping existence from falling into chaos than attaining absolute power. We made a deal with the Council to become Keepers of the Balance of Realms; the Council's Enforcers, if you will," Death explained.

"ABSALOM WAS MOST FURIOUS WITH YOU, HORSEMAN. YOU TWO WERE INSEPARABLE, YET YOU BETRAYED HIM AND CUT HIM DOWN IN COLD BLOOD!" Exspiravit laughed.

"Silence, Spectral Dragon, my business is with the human, not you or the Devil Dragon…" Death warned.

"Right, and what is it you want, Horseman?" Shisui asked.

"I've decided to give you a chance to keep your soul, provided you work for me," Death stated.

"I'm sorry, what? You want me to become one of your Reapers?" Shisui responded.

"No… You've already proven your power is greater than that of any of my Reapers. I want you to be my Will on this plain of existence. You will become one of the Council's Enforcers here, in this realm," Death commanded.

"In other words, you want me to do your job? And if I say no?" Shisui asked.

"Then I'll take your soul and banish it into the depths of Hell, where not even Samael himself can reach it," Death shrugged. "Such an act would be… Regretful though. You already have the true knowledge and power of War, it would be a shame for that to go to waste."

"YOU CANNOT BE SERIOUS, HORSEMAN?! YOU, THE PALE RIDER, WOULD TEACH THE BOY THE TRUE KNOWLEDGE AND POWER OF DEATH?!" Sithis growled in disbelief.

"What I choose to do, Devil Dragon, is none of your concern. The Charred Council has already approved the act, all the boy needs to do is agree to my terms," Death glared at Sithis dangerously.

"Ok cool it you two. What is this 'true knowledge and power of Death' you spoke of?" Shisui looked at the Horseman with intrigue.

"Simply this; everyone knows how to kill; you humans appear to be naturally gifted at it. However, understanding the true power of Death is something very few can comprehend. You, however, seem to have that ability, which is why I haven't killed you… Yet. This is your final chance, Shisui Karasuma," Death warned, his hands going to the pair of scythes at his waist.

"Hmm, let me think… Become the Will of Death, or be killed and banished to Hell? No thanks, I choose life," Shisui shrugged.

"A wise choice. I shall now impart the true knowledge and power of Death onto your soul. You may use this whenever you see fit, but don't abuse it, for you are not Nephilim; such power could destroy you," Death muttered as he placed a hand in front of Shisui's face and began to emit a dark blue light, which began to surround Shisui's head, then his entire body. "There, the deed is done."

Before Shisui could react, the Pale Rider was gone. It was just him and the two Dragons.

"FASCINATING… IN ALL MY YEARS, I'VE NEVER WITNESSED DEATH GIVE A MORTAL HIS MOST INTIMATE SECRETS OR POWERS," Sithis muttered.

"Speaking of secrets, what the hell was that between you two? You have a brother?" Shisui looked at Sithis.

"WATCH YOURSELF, BOY! JUST BECAUSE I TOLERATE YOU, DOES NOT MEAN I WON'T KILL YOU!" Sithis roared.

"SILENCE, SITHIS! THE BOY HAS A RIGHT TO KNOW. YOU KNOW WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF HE FOUND OUT YOU WERE KEEPING SECRETS…" Exspiravit glanced at Sithis.

"VERY WELL… YES, I _HAD_ A BROTHER. HIS NAME WAS DDRAIG, AND IT IS HIS POWER THAT EXISTS WITHIN THE DEVIL DRIVE TECHNIQUE!" Sithis growled, flicking his tail in displeasure at the mention of his brother's name.

"What happened to him?" Shisui asked.

"I KILLED HIM! THE DAMN FOOL BECAME WEAK, AND THAT BOY WHO POSSESSED HIS POWER WAS A JOKE! ALL HE EVER CARED ABOUT WAS THE FEATURES OF THE FEMALE BODY, AS IF IT WERE THE ONLY THING THAT MATTERED IN LIFE!" Sithis roared in fury.

"Who? That kid I killed when I took all your power back during Sellzen's attack on Mercurius?" Shisui asked.

"INDEED, AND I HAVE A FEELING RETRIBUTION WILL COME FOR SUCH AN ACT EVENTUALLY!" Exspiravit warned.

"Retribution? How so?" Shisui looked at the Spectral Dragon curiously.

"THE BOY WAS A DEVIL! HE BELONGED TO A VERY INFLUENTIAL DEVIL FAMILY; A FAMILY WHO'S SON CARRIES THE TITLE OF LUCIFER IN HELL!" Sithis growled.

"And that's supposed to worry me why?" Shisui raised an eyebrow.

"THAT FAMILY IS EXCEPTIONALLY WELL VERSED IN ALL SORTS OF MAGIC, AND THEY DO NOT TAKE KINDLY TO THOSE WHO MURDER THEIR OWN!" Sithis snapped.

"It's not like I had a choice…" Shisui muttered.

"BE THAT AS IT MAY, BOY, YOU'VE NOW BECOME A TARGET OF HELL AND ONE ITS MOST POWERFUL DEVIL FACTIONS!" Exspiravit explained.

"Right… I guess I'll keep my guard up then," Shisui half shrugged.

"BEWARE OF THE RED-HAIRED BITCH WHO LEADS THE FAMILY! THAT BOY WAS HER LOVER, AND SHE'LL SHOW NO MERCY!" Sithis spat.

"Sounds like you have a problem with this girl, Sithis…" Shisui looked at the Devil Dragon incredulously.

"SHE IS THE REASON MY BROTHER BECAME A WEAK FOOL IN THE HANDS OF THAT BRAT!" Sithis roared in fury.

"So, you blame her for your choice of killing your brother?" Shisui asked, clearly dumbfounded.

"ENOUGH OF THIS! I'VE TOLD YOU WHAT YOU WANTED TO KNOW, AND MORE! WE ARE DONE HERE! COME, EXSPIRAVIT!" Sithis hissed as he melted away into the shadows, followed silently by the Spectral Dragon.

As both Dragons vanished, Shisui found himself melting away, as if he were being pulled back to reality.

* * *

Shisui awoke with a start and found himself in a bed. Looking around, he noticed the room was very familiar to him. He was in the infirmary of the Fairy Tail Guild Hall. He was surprised it wasn't destroyed when he used Ragnarok to defeat Sellzen and Shahkulu.

"Welcome back. You've been out for a while," A voice spoke from Shisui's left.

Turning, Shisui found himself looking at none other than Master Makarov.

"How long was I out for?" Shisui asked. He noticed his voice was still being altered by his mask, meaning it was likely it hadn't been removed since he passed out.

"About three weeks," Makarov grunted as he hopped off the chair he was in and landed on the ground.

"Three weeks?! I have to return to Crocus immediately," Shisui muttered as he sat up and turned to get out of bed.

"Not so fast, you have some explaining to do, boy," Makarov stood in front of Shisui.

"Yes, I'm aware you know who I am, Master…" Shisui sighed as he took his mask off.

"What in the hell were you thinking?! Unleashing Ragnarok here?! You could have killed us!" Makarov shouted.

"I… I wasn't. My only concern was taking down those two men who were trying to bring harm to you all," Shisui replied.

"And by doing so, _you_ brought more harm to us than they did!" Makarov yelled.

"Look, I'm sorry. I already said the Army will pay for the repairs to the Guild Hall," Shisui muttered.

"You think that's what this is about? Money? You've been gone for a few months now, and you've certainly changed, and not for the better. You _murdered_ several people in cold blood. You used your Divine Tempest Magic to cast an illusion and summon a giant serpent! My children have been terrified of what you did ever since it happened!" Makarov exclaimed.

"So what? They were a threat and I neutralised them," Shisui bit back.

"You shot a man in the head without even blinking! You covered poor Mirajane with his brains!" Makarov yelled.

"If I didn't do that, he would have ripped her in half! He was a Chimera! They deserve to be executed without hesitation!" Shisui shouted.

"Chimera or not, he was still a man at one point, as were the rest of the people you killed, and then you used a Magic to reanimate their corpses to fight for you?! You know Black Magic like Reanimation is forbidden, and can get you in serious trouble! What the hell were you thinking, boy?!" Makarov snapped.

"I did what I felt was necessary to save this Guild and those who matter to me! No-one in the Guild died, so what does it matter?" Shisui hissed.

"No. _You died_. The children told me about how you were killed by that man with the spear. Erza knew that spear pierced your heart, there was no way you didn't die. We all saw you kill that Reaper. How did you do it? How did you cheat death like that?" Makarov whispered.

"The Lacrima I found. It contained the power of Exspiravit, the Spectral Dragon. His powers saved me and allowed me to cheat death," Shisui responded, looking at his feet.

"How is that possible? I thought you were the Shadow Dragon Slayer?" Makarov squinted at Shisui.

"I am, but… Somehow I've been able to draw on Exspiravit's power that is contained within the Lacrima," Shisui responded.

"And that allowed you to use this 'Devil Drive' ability?" Makarov asked.

"No, that… That's another Dragon's power…" Shisui muttered.

"Another Dragon?" Makarov looked at Shisui with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah… Sithis; the Devil Dragon, Lord of the Void," Shisui sighed.

"How did you come across this 'Devil Dragon'? Was it he who sent the Reaper after you?" Makarov replied.

"No, I took this power from a kid who was working for Sellzen; that Chimera I killed. He wanted the Spectral Dragon Lacrima, but I don't know why," Shisui explained.

"What happened to the boy?" Makarov asked, almost too afraid to hear Shisui's response.

"I… I killed him," Shisui stated.

"You killed a young boy in cold blood?!" Makarov shouted.

"It was self-defence! A mercy killing! I parted his head from his shoulders; he was dead before he hit the floor," Shisui yelled.

"What have you become, boy? Is your primary response to any threat to immediately kill them?!" Makarov snapped.

"I'm at war, damn it! If I don't slaughter my enemies, I risk people getting hurt!" Shisui shouted.

"No, boy! People are getting hurt because of your actions! This Sellzen person never would have attacked us had you not killed his people first!" Makarov exclaimed.

"He should never have known about this place to begin with…" Shisui muttered.

"Why, because you removed your Guild Mark from your arm?" Makarov narrowed his eyes at Shisui.

"How did you know about that?" Shisui looked at his Master.

"Mirajane wasn't convinced by what you told her, she desperately wanted to believe it was you, so when you collapsed, she rushed over to you to prove to everyone it was you. She tried to remove your mask, but it was impossible to move, so she looked at your arm, where your Guild Mark was supposed to be," Makarov explained.

"What did she say when it wasn't there?" Shisui asked.

"Nothing, but everyone could see how hurt and upset she was. She desperately wanted it to be you, Shisui. She knew it was you, because 'no stranger would ever fight as hard as you did to save everyone'. Why are you so intent on lying to everyone about who you are?" Makarov pushed.

"WHY DO YOU THINK I'M LYING TO THEM?!" Shisui exploded. "Those kids would be terrified of me if they knew it was me, if they knew how I made murdering several people seem like a walk in the park. You saw how frightened they all were when I executed Sellzen. Like you said, I didn't even blink when I pulled the trigger."

"Yes, but I wanted to hear _you_ say it, not some soldier from the Fiore Army. How did you even get involved with the Army?" Makarov asked.

"I'm afraid that's classified. All I can tell you is that I am helping them because I'm obligated to. Crocus has turned to shit, and I couldn't let the people suffer there," Shisui sighed.

"Well, it's good to see you still have some humanity left inside you," Makarov replied.

"Look, this back and forth has been fun, but I really should be going. I need to report in, and follow up on a lead I received from Shahkulu before killing him," Shisui muttered as he stood up.

"Where will you go?" Makarov asked.

"Pergrande. That's all I can tell you, I'm afraid," Shisui sighed.

"Very well, but you listen to me very closely, child. I hope you find a way to purge this darkness that has started growing inside you. If you don't, then you'll find no home here with us, not if your darkness puts the others at risk," Makarov warned.

"Yeah, I got it…" Shisui sighed as he put his mask on and walked over to the door before stopping. "For what it's worth… I'm sorry, Master."

"As am I, Shisui… As am I," Makarov replied, but Shisui was already gone; vanished in a cloud of shadows, like he usually did.

* * *

A few days after leaving Magnolia Town, Shisui managed to stagger back to Mercurius to inform the King about what happened. He still hadn't fully recovered from his fight with Shahkulu or Sellzen, and the more he thought about it, what he experienced before he met the Horseman was a form of Time Retrenchment Magic; what only felt like minutes to Shisui was actually weeks in real time, meaning he wasn't resting, he was simply frozen in time while he and the Horseman spoke.

Shisui managed to make his way back into Crocus without being seen. As far as his enemies were concerned, he chased after Sellzen and never returned. Such a thing could prove to be a very valuable asset to have. Now with Sellzen dead, and his gang dismantled, there were just two gangs left plaguing Crocus. Shisui's enemies wouldn't see him coming.

Upon approaching the gates of Mercurius, Shisui decided going through the main gate wasn't smart. He had been effectively MIA for three weeks. He knew his arrival would cause an uproar. Taking that into consideration, he decided to take a different route inside. There was someone he needed to see before he broke words with King Toma…

" _WHAT ARE YOU UP TO, BOY?"_ Sithis asked as Shisui made his way around to the gardens behind Mercurius and began to climb up the palace's wall.

" _I'm going to see someone, obviously,"_ Shisui responded; his condescending tone irritating Sithis.

" _DO NOT TALK TO ME AS IF I AM SOME COMMONER, BOY!"_ Sithis roared.

Ignoring the Devil Dragon, Shisui continued his climb until he reached an open window and climbed in.

' _Just like clockwork… I should probably do something about that,'_ Shisui thought to himself as he closed the window and locked it.

A few seconds after Shisui locked the window he had climbed through he heard the door open from across the room, and through it entered the person he was looking for.

"Hey, it's been a while," Shisui smirked as he waved to the person who entered the room.

"Shisui? Ahh, you're alive!" Akane squealed in delight as she bounded across the room and jumped into Shisui's arms. "I'm so happy you're back…"

"You think that asshole Sellzen and his dog could keep me from returning to you?" Shisui muttered as he stroked Akane's crimson hair with a gloved hand.

"Well, no, but… It's been three weeks since you left. I thought you had been killed," Akane whispered.

"Shh, it's alright. I'm fine now. Look, there will be plenty of time for us to spend together later, but I wanted to come and see you before I went to see the King," Shisui spoke, making Akane look up at him.

"You always know how to make me smile, don't you?" Akane grinned as she placed a soft hand on Shisui's face and reached up to kiss him.

"It's one of my many talents," Shisui smirked. "Come, we should probably go and let the King know I haven't died yet."

* * *

"Good Lord! Shisui? Y-You're alive!" Toma exclaimed as he watched Shisui and Akane walk into the Throne Room. Toma had no idea Shisui was the person who had requested to see him. Like Akane, he thought Shisui had died.

"Yeah, and I think it's time I filled you in on what happened…" Shisui muttered as he approached the King.

Shisui ended up telling Toma all about what happened after he and Major Armstrong chased after Freed as he escaped with the Air Raid Vehicle. All of the Officers who were a part of the Taskforce were present, and the more Shisui told them, the more shocked they became.

"Hold on, wait. Let's back up for a second…" Sergeant Abberline began as Shisui finished his recap. "You're telling me you died, but you were spared from death?"

"Well, yeah. I mean, I definitely died, but I killed the Reaper the Horseman sent to harvest my soul, meaning I was able to return to this world," Shisui responded.

"And you're telling me that the Horseman was ok with this?" Arcadios asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, he wasn't happy that I killed his best Reaper, but he let me live, and gave me the true knowledge and power of Death, whatever that means," Shisui shrugged.

"That's something I want to know; you said Death told you that you already had the 'true knowledge and power of War'. What did he mean by that?" Ophelia asked.

"Hell if I know. Maybe he was acknowledging my ability to wage war effectively?" Shisui shrugged weakly.

"You don't seem that different from the last time I saw you, but there is a dark energy emanating from you, Shisui," Merlin spoke up, her eyes examining Shisui closely.

"Might have something to do with the fact I technically died, or I have the essence of two Dragons who claim to be a part of 'The Unholy Trinity' inside me, or the fact I met Death itself and lived? At least he let me keep the guns that Sellzen had stolen from the Reaper he killed," Shisui shrugged as he brandished the pair of handguns that now held the powers of Exspiravit and Sithis.

"I think you're all missing the point here. What was it you said Shahkulu said to you before you killed him?" Armstrong asked.

"Oh, that… He told me that his organisation he was a part of had its claws in the heart of Pergrande, and he mentioned a name before he died," Shisui replied.

"A name? Who's name?" Toma asked.

Shisui looked at the King and repeated the name, which caused the King to become noticeably unsettled.

"I want everyone but the Colonel and the Major to leave. Immediately," Toma declared suddenly.

"What?!" Everyone protested in unison.

"That was not a request," Toma looked down at his Officers dangerously, silencing all protests immediately.

One by one, everyone but Armstrong and Shisui left the room. Akane was the last to leave, and that was only because Shisui convinced her to leave. As Akane left and closed the door, the discussion between the three men commenced…

* * *

"It's too quiet in there, I don't like it," Abberline muttered.

It had been almost an hour since Toma had commanded everyone to leave the Throne room, so he could have a private chat with Shisui and Major Armstrong.

"Those doors are a foot thick and made of bomb-proof, magically reinforced steel; you'd never hear anything anyway," Ophelia grunted.

"No, but it's been almost an hour and we've heard nothing. Why did that name Shisui mentioned make the King react in such a way?" Abberline asked.

"Only those in the Throne Room will know that," Arcadios muttered.

Suddenly, there was a large bang coming from the other side of the door, and it immediately swung open to reveal a furious looking Shisui, who stormed out before stopping and turning to look back at the King and Major Armstrong.

"YOU THINK YOU CAN STOP ME?!" Shisui roared in pure fury, which shocked everyone, even Ophelia was lost for words.

"You dare defy your King? That is treason, and such a crime is punishable by death," Toma warned.

"Piss on your threats! If a Pergrandian Warrior couldn't kill me, what makes you think you can?!" Shisui growled.

"What the hell happened in there…?" Abberline whispered to Arcadios, who shrugged.

"Shisui, please, you need to stop and listen. What His Majesty said makes sense, and you know it," Armstrong grunted.

"The hell it does! He's just a scared old man, who is afraid of a damn name!" Shisui spat, glaring at the King.

"I've heard enough of this! As of this moment, Colonel, consider yourself place on 'Administrative Leave'. Until I deem you to have learned your place in this court, you will not serve in my army," Toma stated with a tone of finality.

Shisui said nothing as he turned and walked off, leaving everyone feeling very confused.

"Uhh, what just happened?" Abberline asked.

"Unofficially? I think the King just dismissed Shisui from his post," Ophelia muttered.

"Hey, Shisui! Wait!" Akane cried out as she ran off to find out what happened.

* * *

"Damn it, would you stop for a second!" Akane shouted as Shisui continued his path back to Akane's room.

"He's not going to stop me, you know!" Shisui snapped, slamming the door behind him as Akane entered the room.

"What happened in there?" Akane asked.

"Long story short? I wanted to go to Pergrande to hunt those at the centre of this conspiracy that involves your family, but the King refused. He told me I was being reckless, and he wasn't about to let me go, but he won't stop me," Shisui growled.

"You wanted to go to Pergrande by yourself to find out who was involved in the plan to kidnap Hisui and start a war and killed my family?" Akane asked.

"Pretty much. One of them will tell me who this 'Master' is, I'm sure of it," Shisui growled, clenching his fists.

"When do we leave?" Akane asked, catching Shisui off-guard.

"Huh?" Shisui turned to look at Akane.

"You heard me. When do we leave?" Akane repeated.

"Oh, no… You're not coming with me. I don't want you being put at risk in what is practically enemy territory," Shisui replied.

"If you leave, then I'm unprotected, meaning someone could come to end my life and the Hiyama Clan while you're gone," Akane responded.

Shisui knew what she wanted. She wasn't worried about her safety, she just wanted to be with the man she admired and had feelings for.

"Fine, if you really want to join me, I won't stop you. We'll leave tonight, meet me at the main gate at midnight," Shisui sighed as he took one of Akane's hands and held in in between his own.

"Why tonight? Why not now?" Akane asked, looking at Shisui oddly.

"I have unfinished business I need to take care of…" Shisui muttered. "Go pack a bag or something. We'll need to be ready to leave immediately at midnight."

Akane said nothing as Shisui opened the door and walked out of her room. She knew Shisui was planning something, she just didn't know what.

* * *

It was almost midnight by the time Shisui had returned to Mercurius. He knew he'd have to lie low after his blowout with the King, especially for what he was about to do.

Infiltrating the Palace was easy enough. The Guards posted in and around the building all had their set patrol routes, and Shisui knew exactly where they went and how long it took for each patrol to make a full loop of their designated route.

Due to this knowledge, Shisui managed to slip past the Guards no problem and was now walking down a corridor towards the bedrooms.

Shisui was confident that the only people who knew about Shisui's dismissal were those who were present when Toma had told him he was no longer a part of the Army. This meant the other soldiers had no idea.

Shisui could have just used this fact to his advantage and walked past the patrols unhindered, but he decided the less people who knew, the better. Now though, he would need to reveal himself as there were two guards stood outside a door in the corridor he was walking down.

"Who goes there?!" One of the Guards yelled, only to pale when he saw it was Shisui. "Oh, C-Colonel! I'm sorry, I wasn't aware you were here."

"Obviously…" Shisui muttered. "You may leave. I'll be taking over this post for the night."

"I… I'm sorry, sir?" The other Guard stuttered.

"You heard me. I'll be taking over your duties for the night. You may return to the barracks and rest," Shisui replied.

The two Guards looked at each other and shrugged. Who were they to question the orders of a superior officer? The Guards simply bowed and quickly left their posts, leaving Shisui all alone in the corridor. Smirking to himself, he opened the door the two officers were guarding and went inside.

"I'll be sure that old bastard knows what happens when you fuck with me and my plans…" Shisui growled as he moved deeper into the room.

There were no lights on in the room; the moonlight coming in through the windows was the only source of light available. Despite this, Shisui was able to see perfectly, with his enhanced vision.

He found himself looking at a large, four poster bed, which was currently occupied by someone. Silently, Shisui walked over to the sleeping person and looked down at them.

"I'm sorry it's come to this… But the King would not listen to reason. Maybe this will show him I will not let anyone stop me," Shisui whispered as he looked down at the person in the bed.

" _SO, YOU'RE REALLY GOING TO DO THIS…?"_ Sithis asked. Even he sounded hesitant.

" _Yes… It needs to be done,"_ Shisui responded. _"Exspiravit?"_

" _UNDERSTOOD…"_ Exspiravit muttered.

"Spectral Drive…" Shisui whispered, and found himself now wearing the Spectral Cloak he had on when he came back from the dead after killing Malthael.

Shisui looked down one last time at the figure sleeping peacefully in bed. What he was about to do… He never thought he'd be capable of such a thing, yet here he was.

"Soul Tear…" Shisui whispered, and allowed the tail of his Spectral Cloak to penetrate the body lying before him.

As he was finishing up, Shisui heard the door to the room open, and footsteps approaching. It sounded like a woman.

"Apologies for the intrusion at this hour but I–" The woman whispered as she walked over to the bed only to see a dark figure, who was covered in a pale green glow that looked like a Dragon, standing over the bed and the person lying in it.

Upon seeing this terrifying figure, the woman let out a horrific, blood-curdling scream. Surely, the Guards all over the palace heard it.

" _LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE BEEN DISCOVERED!"_ Sithis exclaimed.

" _YOU'D BETTER RUN BOY… AND FAST!"_ Exspiravit shouted.

Wasting no time, Shisui turned and jumped out of the nearby window, shattering the glass on his way out as he leapt into the air and began to fall to earth. The room was on the top floor of the palace, which gave Shisui plenty of time to adjust himself and land safely in the cart full of hay he had placed underneath the window earlier in the day.

Moments later, a battalion of Guards stormed through the door, weapons and lanterns in hand. At the head of the group was Major Armstrong.

"Alecia! What happened in here?! Your scream woke up half of Mercurius," Armstrong shouted as he went over to the woman's side.

"Major… It… I don't…" Alecia began.

"Take a breath, my dear. Collect yourself, then speak," Armstrong whispered, doing his best to calm the young woman.

"A Demon… Shaped like a Dragon. It stood over there and…" Alecia began before bursting into tears.

Immediately, Armstrong stood up and marched over to the bed and the person occupying it. Using one of his large hands, he reached out and grabbed the person's wrist and said nothing for a few seconds, until he let out a small gasp.

"What is it, Major?" One of the soldiers asked.

"Summon His Majesty and raise the alarm… Shisui Karasuma has just murdered the Queen."

* * *

 _ **A/N; Ok, I can explain… But I won't, because where's the fun in that? Everything will reveal itself in due time. I added a fuck load of pop-culture references, some are obvious, others are not. Who can find them all? All I'm saying for the foreseeable future is that the story is going to become a lot darker, and violent, so if you're into that, strap in and hold the fuck on.**_

 _ **Hope you enjoyed this Chapter, and I hope the material or fights weren't too dull or stale. Let me know what you think, it'd be most appreciated, just don't be a dick about it if you didn't like something. Also, yes, Shisui and Akane are in a relationship. Don't stress about the how, I prefer to develop a relationship, over showing how it all unfolded, but I'm sure I've made it obvious as to how it happened in previous chapter, so yeah…**_


	12. The Jewel of Pergrande

Chapter Twelve – The Jewel of Pergrande

Several weeks had passed since Shisui left Fiore with Akane, and both had now crossed the border into the Pergrande Kingdom. Shisui, erring on the side of caution, decided it would be best to avoid busy areas and public places.

Akane assumed this was due to the fact that Pergrande was home to the people responsible for starting the war that took her family from her, and Shisui had made it perfectly clear to her that she would more than likely be a target, being the last surviving member of the Hiyama Clan, the Protectors of Fiore.

Obviously, Shisui hadn't told Akane the _real_ reason they were trying to remain anonymous. Regicide wasn't the sort of crime one would get a slap on the wrist for, and since Queen Caterina had been like a mother to Akane since she lost her family, telling her that he killed the Queen of Fiore by ripping her soul from her body and sending it to the afterlife wouldn't be the best thing to do.

Due to these reasons, it had taken them far longer to reach Pergrande than it would have if they travelled directly from Crocus, which would have likely taken a couple days at most, if urgency was needed.

"Hold on, wait…" Akane sighed as she looked out at the view in front of her. "You're telling me we have to cross this?"

"Well, yeah… The Pergrande Kingdom is surrounded by desert terrain, it's harsh environment is what makes their soldiers so formidable in battle. If we want to make it to Halicarnassus, then we have to cross this barren wasteland," Shisui responded as he started walking across the sands of the Pergrande Kingdom.

* * *

Several hours had passed as Shisui and Akane traversed the desert towards Halicarnassus; the Capital City of Pergrande. Shisui knew that if the organisation that Shahkulu had been a part of were in Pergrande, then there was a good chance their main locale would be within the Capital.

"Shisui, look!" Akane gasped as she pointed out in front of her.

Shisui followed Akane's finger in the direction it was pointing, and slowly he began to see it. Off in the distance, behind a sandstorm was the faint outline of a giant walled city. The longer he looked, the more he could make out, one of the most notable features being dozens of tall towers and spires, all rising above the city's skyline.

"Ok, great. I assume that's Halicarnassus. Now, how do you propose we get through the sandstorm?" Shisui asked, looking at Akane.

"Beats me. I guess we could just wait for it to die down," Akane shrugged.

" _DAMN FOOL! THAT IS NO ORDINARY SANDSTORM!"_ Sithis snapped.

" _Oh, look. He's awake. Did you enjoy your nap, Mr. Grumpy?"_ Shisui muttered.

" _DO NOT TALK TO ME AS IF I AM SOME CHILD! I AM THE LORD OF THE VOID!"_ Sithis roared.

" _Yes, yes, so you keep reminding me. Can your Void swallow up this sandstorm for us?"_ Shisui asked, but receiving no response from the Devil Dragon. _"Yeah, didn't think so…"_

"I don't think this is a normal sandstorm," Shisui began, inwardly smiling as he heard the sound of Sithis growling at him.

"Yeah, now that you mention it, I don't think it's normal either. You think this is some kind of Magic Barrier?" Akane asked.

"I think so. Probably to keep unwanted guests out, or to stop others from fleeing the city," Shisui responded, thinking that the sandstorm barrier was put in place after Shahkulu killed the last King and fled to Fiore.

"So, what do we do?" Akane asked.

"Hell if I know… Amaterasu, maybe?" Shisui shrugged.

"Is there an Amaterasu Spell to dispel magical barriers?" Akane responded.

"Not to dispel, but I can think of one that can disrupt spells," Shisui muttered as he walked up to the barrier and put a hand out in front of it.

"Hold! Do not make another move!" A voice shouted.

"Who said that?" Shisui looked around and tried to discern where the voice had come from.

"What business do you have in Halicarnassus? Speak!" The voice commanded.

' _Fuck. It seems this voice belongs to the person in charge of maintaining this barrier. If we want in we'll need to come up with something, quick,'_ Shisui sighed.

"My husband and I are travellers, who are on a journey to the Temple of the Two Great Kings. We have travelled all over, and would like to pay respects to your Gods," Akane shouted, surprising Shisui with how quick she came up with that.

"Very well, Halicarnassus is home to those who would pay respects to its Kingdom's Gods. You may pass," The guardsman declared.

After a few seconds, the sandstorm began to split in two, leaving a narrow gap that would allow people to pass through, prompting Shisui and Akane to quickly enter. The guardsman said nothing as the two passed, he just simply nodded as they passed him, before he waved a hand, causing the gap to seal and the barrier became whole once more.

"You know about the Temple of the Two Great Kings?" Shisui asked as soon as they were out of earshot of the guardsman.

"Yeah, I've been doing some research into Pergrande and its culture. The Temple of the Two Great Kings is one of its biggest places for worshipping the Pergrandian Gods," Akane responded.

"You keep that quick thinking up, and I'll start worshipping you," Shisui replied with a small laugh.

"Oh, come now, husband. I am your wife; you already worship me," Akane giggled as Shisui put an arm around her waist, pulled her in close to him and kissed her cheek.

"That was quick thinking too. No-one's going to suspect a husband and wife on a holy pilgrimage," Shisui added.

"Eh, I kinda just said that because I wanted to see how you'd react to me calling you 'my husband'. You handled it very well," Akane smiled.

"I think you'll find there's a lot of you I can handle very well," Shisui muttered, getting a small gasp from Akane.

"Oh, I don't doubt it… I'm beginning to wonder if I'd be able to handle you," Akane teased, causing Shisui to simply roll his eyes and keep on walking; his arm still wrapped around her waist.

* * *

To say Halicarnassus was a large city was an understatement. It was at least three times the size of Crocus, and had at least ten times as many citizens. The streets were absolutely packed with people; all milling about, going on with their lives as if nothing else was a problem. Merchants out on the streets were pushing their wares, and trying their best to compete with their rivals to make more coin than them.

"This place is incredible!" Akane gasped as she walked through the streets of the city, looking around in wonder.

"Yes, but it's also very dangerous. We're in the lion's den now. Keep close to me, and don't move out of my sight," Shisui muttered as he grabbed Akane's hand and began to lead her through the streets.

"Where exactly are we going?" Akane asked.

"Well, we'll need somewhere to stay, won't we? I figured the first thing we should do is find some sort of accommodation," Shisui responded.

"Right, and how are we going to pay for said accommodation? Fiore's currency isn't the same as Pergrande's," Akane stated, causing Shisui to stop dead in his tracks.

"Fuck… I didn't take that into consideration. Why didn't I take that into consideration?" Shisui groaned, causing Akane to laugh.

"It's fine… I think I know a way on how to make us some Pergrandian money…" Akane muttered as she pulled Shisui's arm and began to direct him through the throng on people on the streets.

"Why do I have the feeling I'm not going to like this?" Shisui asked.

"You might, just depends on your temperament," Akane responded.

"What aren't you telling me?" Shisui stopped, which caused Akane to turn and look at him.

"Alright, I kinda did some digging on the Pergrandian Underworld while you were gone after your argument with His Majesty. It turns out they have these… Fight Clubs, which people can either participate in, or gamble on, in a way to make money," Akane explained.

"I'm sorry, 'Fight Clubs'?" Shisui looked at Akane with a raised eyebrow. "You mean to tell me that you want us to gamble?"

"Well, yes and no… I figured what we could do to maximise our chances, would be for you to fight to earn money, then I use said money to bet on you to win," Akane replied with a sheepish smile.

Shisui couldn't believe what he was hearing. He knew that Akane wasn't some precious, innocent little girl. He knew she was raised to kill, and she had done so before, but this was different. It was almost as if she had planned this from the beginning.

"You still haven't told me everything," Shisui stated after a moment of silence.

"Alright, fine. If the people we're looking for are controlling Pergrande, and Halicarnassus, then it's not unreasonable to think that they're the ones in control of the criminal underworld. I figured if we were to delve into that world, we could get to the source of the organisation that killed my mother and sister," Akane sighed.

"That's not a bad idea, but how do you know they're controlling the criminal underworld? The person who kidnapped Hisui and practically started the war between the two nations was related to the King at the time. It's more than likely that the Royal Court is where we'll find our enemies," Shisui responded.

"What, and you just think we can waltz up to the front door and ask to be let in? Come on, even you must know that wouldn't work," Akane retorted.

"No, but what's the one thing a governmental power can't stand? Criminal activity," Shisui replied. He could see Akane was now connecting the dots.

"Wait, so you're suggesting we approach the Royal Court with an offer of hunting down criminals and bringing them to justice?" Akane asked.

"That's exactly what I'm suggesting. That way, we'll manage to keep an eye on the court, as well as hunt down anyone from this secret organisation who has ties to the criminal activity in this city," Shisui clarified.

"That… That's actually not a bad idea," Akane smirked.

"Yeah, I have the occasional good idea every now and again," Shisui shrugged, returning the smirk.

Shisui and Akane's conversation was interrupted when they heard the sounds of shouting coming from up the street.

"Help! Someone stop that man, he stole my money!" A man shouted.

Turning to look at the commotion, Shisui saw a figure wearing a dark green cloak charging through the crowd towards him. As the cloaked man reached Shisui, Akane took a step forward, and was shoved over by the man as he tried to flee.

"Akane!" Shisui shouted as he watched her tumble to the ground and hit her head. He could see she was bleeding.

" _YOU'RE NOT GOING TO STAND HERE AND LET THAT PISS-ANT HARM YOUR WOMAN, ARE YOU?!"_ Sithis roared.

Feeling the Devil Dragon's anger well up inside him, Shisui took off in a run to chase down the thief who hurt Akane. He heard someone shouting, but couldn't make out who it was, or what they were saying.

Shisui knew he was at a disadvantage as he had no idea of the layout of Halicarnassus' streets, whereas the thief probably knew them better than the back of his hand. That wasn't going to stop Shisui, as he was an excellent hunter/tracker. He rarely let his prey get away.

This time, however, it was far more difficult for Shisui, as he had to force his way through a large crowd of people, and try and keep an eye on where the thief was. As he forced his way down the street, Shisui found an opportunity to hunt for the thief unhindered by a crowd of civilians.

Off to his right, a building was being repaired or renovated. It was a multi-storey building, and as such, had a rudimentary wooden pulley style crane that allowed the workers to send bricks and other heavy objects directly up to the floors that needed them.

Shisui, on the other hand, decided to use this crane to give himself the tactical advantage of hunting the thief from above, which would prove to be much easier, due to no-one being up on the rooftops. Turning to the nearby crane, Shisui grabbed a hold of the rope that was tied to the pulley system and kicked the latch off the crane, which caused the heavy load of bricks that were suspended above to fall back down to earth.

Using the gravitational force on the cargo, Shisui was pulled up into the air as the rope he was holding on to was being pulled through the pulleys and back down to the ground. As he reached the top of the crane, Shisui let go and landed safely on the rooftop, where he continued in his pursuit of the thief.

The thief obviously had no idea that he was being followed, as he had now stopped running and began to wander down the street, before ducking off into a narrow alleyway. Shisui watched from the rooftops above, before he jumped off, aiming to take the thief down.

In a few seconds, the thief went from casually walking down the alleyway to having his face slammed into the dirt as he felt a heavy object land on him. He tried to struggle free, but felt a hand clamp around the back of his neck to pin him in place, which only caused him to struggle harder, until…

 _Snick_.

"Hey, whoa! C-Come on! This wasn't part of the deal!" The thief cried, thrashing about in an attempt to escape. Based on his voice, he sounded like a child.

" _YOU'RE REALLY GOING TO DO THIS? KILL SOME PATHETIC URCHIN FOR STEALING AND KNOCKING OVER THE GIRL?!"_ Exspiravit growled. Shisui wasn't sure if he was disappointed, or testing his resolve.

Clamping down on the thief's neck harder, Shisui raised the point of his wrist blade up for a few seconds, before allowing it to retract back into the bracer it was attached to. The thief let out a sigh of relief, but Shisui wasn't about to let him go unpunished.

Holding on to the thief's neck, he lifted the person's head up and slammed it into the dirt, knocking him out. With an exasperated sigh, Shisui picked up the unconscious thief and began his journey back to find Akane.

* * *

It didn't take long for Shisui to find Akane. Not because he recognised her scent, but there were several soldiers standing in a semi-circular formation at the end of the street, and as he approached the soldiers, he saw Akane talking to a man dressed in a white and gold robe. He looked to be in his late fifties, and has short hair that was starting to grey. Just based on his attire, Shisui assumed the soldiers were there because this man was very important, very powerful, or both.

"Hold there!" One of the soldiers shouted, raising his spear as he watched Shisui approach with a body on his back.

"Shisui! You're back!" Akane called out, happily waiving to Shisui as he approached.

"Apologies, you know this man?" The white robed man asked Akane.

"Yeah! And it looks like he's found your thief," Akane responded as she watched Shisui dump the body on the ground in front of the soldiers.

"Most impressive. The Gods have truly blessed me this day," The man responded.

"I take it you're the man this person stole from?" Shisui asked, looking at the robed man.

"Indeed, but I fear your attempts to recover what was mine were pointless," The man responded.

"How so? He stole from you, and I have brought him back," Shisui replied with a raised eyebrow.

"Your friend here; she managed to rob the thief as he tried to escape with my coin, but received a nasty knock in the process," The man explained.

Now it had become clear to Shisui as to why Akane stepped out towards the thief as he ran away. She wasn't being carless; she was trying to pick his pocket.

"I called out to you as you took off after him, but I don't think you heard me," Akane chuckled, as she saw the look of realisation cross over Shisui's face.

"I know that look. You might not have recovered my coin, but you recovered the thief, a gesture that is well received," The man responded, as he held out a hand to Shisui. "Senator Flavius Metellus."

"Senator?" Shisui raised an eyebrow as he shook the man's hand. "I thought Pergrande had a Royal Family?"

"It does, but the law of succession has left us without a rightful King. We have a Queen Regent, but most governing decisions are left to myself and the rest of the Senate," Metellus explained.

"A Queen Regent? I assume you mean the wife of the last King?" Shisui asked.

"Rightly so. Queen Aya was the wife of our late King, before he was killed by that fucking dog, Shahkulu," Metellus scowled upon the mention of the renegade Shahkulu.

"Aya? Where have I heard that name before…?" Shisui muttered. "Senator, did the last King have any private residences in the Kingdom of Fiore?"

"Yes, he did… How did you know about that? The place has been abandoned since he was killed," Metellus looked at Shisui curiously.

"I think I've been there before…" Shisui responded as he held his arms out and released both wrist blades.

"Those are… No, those aren't of Pergrandian craftsmanship. Where did you get those?" Metellus asked, looking at the black blades.

"I found some schematics for these wrist-mounted blades in an abandoned villa by the southern coast of Fiore. I decided to take them and have someone make them for me," Shisui shrugged.

"Ah, yes… So you're the one who took the contract from Lady Aya?" Metellus smirked. "Tell me, what are you doing so far from your home, Monster Hunter?"

"After I found these weapon schematics, I got curious as to what kind of land Pergrande was, so I decided to come and see what this place has to offer," Shisui shrugged, not giving anything away.

"Well, as someone who has helped both the Queen Regent, and now a Senator, Halicarnassus welcomes you as one of its own, a courtesy that extends to your lady-friend here too," Metellus stated, looking at Akane.

"You honour us, Senator," Shisui bowed his head.

"The honour is mine. Come, let us retire to the Royal Palace, I'm sure the Queen Regent would be eager to break words with you both," Metellus turned and began to walk away, beckoning Shisui and Akane to follow.

"Well, that was easy…" Akane muttered as she began to walk beside Shisui.

"Yeah, a little _too easy_ … I'd take care, who knows who's working for the enemy in the Royal Palace," Shisui replied as he and Akane began to follow the Senator to the Royal Palace.

* * *

"I'm confident you'll find Halicarnassus to your liking. There's something for everyone here," Metellus explained as they walked through one of the many markets in the capital city.

"Really, do tell," Akane said as she looked around.

"Well, we Pergrandians are a proud race. Our Military's might is unmatched anywhere on the continent, a fact I'm sure you're both well aware of, being from Fiore. Apologies, I meant no insult. The heart swells at the thought we are no longer enemies and such a dark time has passed us, like storm clouds after a downpour," Metellus stated, noticing a thin scowl on Akane's face as he mentioned how strong the Pergrandian Army was.

"What's going on over there?" Shisui asked, as he saw a bunch of people walking up onto a raised platform, which looked a lot like gallows.

"Ah, a new batch of slaves, ready to be sold at market. Would you like to take a look?" Metellus asked, seeming completely unperturbed by the event.

"Slaves?! Are you joking?" Akane growled, getting an odd look from Metellus.

"Calm down," Shisui whispered in her ear, with his back to the Senator. "It's not pleasant, but we can't alienate ourselves by spitting on Pergrandian customs, no matter how abhorrent they may be."

"Apologies, Senator. Slavery isn't something you see in Fiore, as a result, we are unfamiliar with such a thing," Shisui explained, doing his best to stop the Senator from growing suspicious.

"Of course. I meant no offence, but this is just the way we do things in the Kingdom. Instead of jail time, criminals can choose to be sold into slavery as a form of repayment to society. From there, the men usually are bought to be trained as gladiators, and the women are usually sold to assist in the daily running of noble houses," Metellus shrugged.

"Has it always been like this?" Akane asked, doing her best to mask her anger and disgust.

"Well, we had a slave uprising a few years ago, but our army managed to crush the rebellion, but not without significant damage to other city-states within the land. Were it not for Senator Crassus and his vast wealth, I dare say the rebels might have taken even Halicarnassus, and put every one of us to death," Metellus replied. "Come, let us watch the proceedings."

Shisui simply stood there in disbelief. Here he was, standing in the middle of the biggest city in the Pergrande Kingdom, listening to a Senator talk about slavery as if it were no big deal. Was this the extent of the control this secret organisation held? To have the ability to influence both the Senate, and the Royal Court to allow such a depraved act like slavery to continue? Is this why Shahkulu assassinated King Bayek? Was he going to undo the work they had fought so hard to complete?

"Masters and Mistresses, gather 'round! The Gods have seen fit to bless me with a mighty stock of slaves, who could be yours by the end of this auction!" The slave-owner shouted as a group of nobles and other rich people gathered around to watch and bid in the auction.

"I know this isn't pretty, but keep your cool. The last thing we want is to draw unwanted attention," Shisui whispered in Akane's ear, in an attempt to calm her down.

"Tch, so much for the 'Jewel of Pergrande'. This place sickens me," Akane spat as she looked at the people who were about to have their lives ripped away from them.

"The first item I have for you all today is a fearsome warrior. A savage from _Azgeda_ , he would make a fine addition to any gladiatorial roster!" The slave-owner smirked as he saw several pairs of eyes light up in delight.

The man in question was tall and muscular, with long hair and a scruffy beard, which was likely a result of being made into a slave. Looking into his eyes, Shisui could tell this man was veteran warrior, one who had likely killed hundreds of enemies.

"He's Ice Nation… What's he doing so far from home?" Shisui muttered.

Ice Nation Warriors were renowned for their strength and brutal savagery in battle, almost driving themselves into a frenzy as they took damage. Ice Nation borders ended at the Northern Continent, several hundred miles from Pergrande. This warrior should not have been anywhere near the Kingdom.

"Ice Nation? How do you know that?" Akane whispered.

"People from the Northern Continent refer to their lands as 'Azgeda'. If you're not Ice Nation, then you wouldn't know that, yet this man did, meaning one of two things. One; he told the slaver where he came from, which is unlikely. The second possibility is that Pergrande have been capturing people from other lands to use as slaves here," Shisui explained.

"Wait, what? You mean someone has been sending hunting parties out to other lands to bring back captives to sell as slaves?" Akane gasped, struggling to hide the look of horror on her face. "But how do you know he's Ice Nation? You said it yourself, if you're not from there, you wouldn't know that they call their lands 'Azgeda'."

"I know a kid from the Northern Continent. He'd occasionally refer to his home as _Azgeda_. Not very often, but enough for me to connect the dots," Shisui muttered.

"Shall we start the bidding at five Drachma?" The slaver asked, clapping his hands together and rubbing them.

"Six Drachma for the savage," One man called out.

"Seven," A woman responded.

"I'll give you ten Drachma," Another man spoke.

The bidding war continued for another minute, and the price had nearly tripled before a woman approached the crowd and spoke up.

"I grow tired of these games. One hundred Drachma; for the lot," The woman sighed, waving a dismissive hand at the slaves, earning several shocked gasps from the other bidders.

"Apologies, good lady, but the rest of these slaves aren't worth the shit that comes out their ass. You would pay such a hefty sum for all of them?" The slaver asked.

"Indeed. The _Azgeda_ man is worth paying so much for the rest, even if they are of poor quality," The woman shrugged.

Shisui watched the woman closely. She was very young, and had very long dirty blonde hair. Despite her short stature, she had curves in all the right places and was definitely attractive.

"Is there anyone willing to go higher?" The slaver asked, only receiving shakes of the head and murmuring. "Very well, one hundred Drachma for the entire batch goes to Lady Ambrea!"

"Who is that woman, Senator?" Shisui asked as everyone applauded the woman for the purchase of the slaves.

"Lady Ambrea… Her grandfather was a very well respected Senator before he died, and she inherited his home and fortunes. It's a shame she can't pick men very well," Metellus sighed.

"Excuse me?" Akane looked at the Senator with a raised eyebrow.

"I mean that her husband is a nobody. Most likely a friend of the family that she's known since she was a baby. Definitely not a man of influence, that's for sure," Metellus clarified, which seemed to calm Akane down.

"So why would she buy all those slaves for such a price, if the rest of them were worthless?" Shisui asked.

"She is but a child, unfamiliar in the ways of being the Domina of a house," Metellus waved a hand dismissively.

"Oh, Senator Metellus; it is good to lay eyes," Ambrea called out as she and her attendant approached the Senator.

"Compliment well received, young mistress. I see you were in no mood to let anyone have any fun today," Metellus laughed.

"No, but I was in the mood to procure a new Gladiator for my stock, and it's not very often we have _Azgeda_ warriors on the stands," Ambrea replied, sounding disinterested, until she saw Shisui. "Oh? Who is this, Senator? A guest of yours?"

"Ah, good eye. Yes, this man and his friend helped me out of a tight spot in the market earlier," Metellus responded, looking at Shisui and Akane, who scowled at only being referred to as Shisui's 'friend'.

"Well, you're definitely an interesting sight. What is your name?" Ambrea asked, holding out a hand, which caused Shisui to raise an eyebrow at the way she held it out.

" _OHO! THIS ONE EXPECTS YOU TO BOW AND KISS HER HAND, BOY! VERY IMPRESSIVE!"_ Sithis roared with laughter.

"Shisui… I'm a warrior, not unlike the man you purchased, but I am no slave," Shisui responded, refusing to take the woman's hand.

"Ah, so you're a mercenary, are you? Perhaps you can give me a demonstration of your skills?" Ambrea asked, smirking slightly.

"And how do you expect me to do that?" Shisui asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Simple. Come to my villa, and fight some of my men. Perhaps you can teach them a thing or two about survival," Ambrea explained.

"A most generous offer to be sure, but these two are currently occupied with a meeting of greater importance, my lady. Apologies for the inconvenience," Metellus bowed slightly.

"Oh, is that so? Perhaps another time then. Senator," Ambrea nodded at Metellus as she turned and walked off, her new batch of slaves following her at least five paces behind.

"Fucking nasty bitch…" Akane hissed, scowling in disgust at the young woman.

"Her inexperience with others and her brash nature make her out to be a most unpleasant person at times, but she has a good heart," Metellus explained, trying to defuse the ticking bomb that was Akane.

"Would you give us a moment, Senator? I'd like to speak to my companion alone for a moment," Shisui looked at the Senator, who nodded and walked off to allow them some privacy.

"Listen to me, I know you're not happy with anything you've seen so far, but you need to keep it together. We're not going to get anywhere if you keep spitting on others," Shisui growled.

"That bitch was eyeing you up like a piece of meat! I'm not going to let anyone look at my man like that!" Akane hissed.

"Wait, _that's_ your problem? You're jealous, aren't you?" Shisui asked, trying his best not to laugh.

"No I am not!" Akane yelled.

"If you say so, but I think we should go see that woman at some point… I want to know how that Ice Nation warrior became a slave to a Pergrandian. If my suspicions are correct, then someone within the Senate is organising secret hunting parties to capture people to sell into Slavery here," Shisui said, taking on a serious tone again.

"Ugh, fine… But I'm not happy about it," Akane huffed, folding her arms under her chest and pushing her breasts up a little; an act that didn't go unnoticed by Shisui.

"Yes, yes… We all have to make sacrifices, princess," Shisui whispered as he gently kissed Akane's cheek, which caused her to go bright red.

"Hey! You stop that when I'm trying to pout!" Akane cried as she felt her face heating up.

"Come, the Royal Palace awaits. I'm sure we'll find some answers there," Shisui said as he took one of Akane's hands and took her to where Senator Metellus was waiting.

* * *

While Shisui and Akane were away in Pergrande, hunting down the rest of Shahkulu's allies, the Royal Palace in Fiore decided to go public with what Shisui had done. They tried their best to keep the entire affair quiet, but after a couple a weeks, people started questioning what had happened to the Queen, as no-one had seen her. The moment the news of her assassination went public, it spread like wildfire. It didn't take long for the news to reach Master Makarov, and the rest of the Fairy Tail Guild…

"Hey, guys! Guys, check this out! You all need to see this!" Levy yelled as she ran into the Guild Hall, waving a newspaper in the air.

"What is it, Levy?" Cana asked, seeing Levy was considerably distressed.

"You remember that Colonel who was here a couple of months ago when those two bad guys attacked our Guild Hall?" Levy began. The mention of that Colonel got everyone's attention.

"How could we forget? That man was a fucking demon," Laxus muttered.

"Look at this!" Levy shouted as she slammed the newspaper down on the table.

' _ **ROYAL ARMY COLONEL ASSASSINATES QUEEN' – For the past few weeks, one member of the Fiore Royal Family has been missing from the public eye, and people began to take notice. After several members of the public asking the Royal Court where Her Majesty Queen Caterina had disappeared to, the Royal Palace issued this statement;**_

" _ **It is with great shame and regret that I have to publically announce that Her Majesty Queen Caterina E. Fiore has died," Royal Army Major Alex Louis Armstrong said. "However, it is not because of natural causes. Unfortunately, Her Majesty was in fact assassinated by one of our own officers."**_

 _ **Major Armstrong continued to say that it was a Colonel who had assassinated the Queen after His Majesty King Toma E. Fiore dismissed him from the Army after they came to a disagreement over how to proceed with a dangerous military operation. Major Armstrong said he could not name the former Colonel due to the type of work he had been undertaking, which was highly classified, and naming him could put countless lives at risk.**_

 _ **Assassinating the Queen of Fiore, however, wasn't the only crime this disgraced Colonel had committed. On the night of the assassination, the officer fled the city with Lady Akane Hiyama, the last surviving member of the Hiyama Clan; the protectors of Fiore.**_

 _ **No-one knows where this officer-turned-assassin has fled to, but the Royal Army has made it very clear that this former Colonel is a very dangerous man, with both close-combat experience and masterful control of powerful magic.**_

The Fairy Tail Guild Hall, which was known for being notoriously noisy, was now so silent, one would hear a pin drop within the building. Every member of the Guild had read the newspaper article, and were at a complete loss for words.

' _What have you done, Shisui…?'_ Makarov thought to himself as he finished reading the article. He didn't want to believe it, but he was the only one in the Guild who knew for an absolute fact that Shisui was indeed the Colonel that the article had referred to.

"No. This is bullshit," Mirajane snapped.

"Oh, here we go…" Laxus grunted.

"No, I'm serious! There's no way he could do something like this! We all watched him fight and die to save us! Why would he do that then betray the people he worked so hard to save?" Mirajane shouted.

"We don't know who he really is, Mira… When he came back to life and killed that Reaper… He became an absolute monster. He destroyed our Guild Hall. He shot someone in the head without even thinking about it!" Lisanna exclaimed.

"So?! You know he was doing it to save us!" Mirajane protested.

"Oh, for fuck sake… Listen to me; no matter how hard you want to believe it, that bastard wasn't Shisui! You heard him; he stole Shisui's powers and branded him because of it. You need to let whatever kind of fantasy you have of Shisui being some damn knight in shining armour go, because he's not!" Laxus growled.

"I _know_ it was him! Fuck what the rest of you think!" Mirajane yelled as she stormed off.

"Wait, I'm confused. Does she want it to be Shisui? If she does, then that means she will have to accept that he killed the Queen, right?" Gray asked, scratching his head.

"Leave her alone, children… Mirajane is struggling with everything that's happened recently," Makarov explained.

"More like she's suffering from separation anxiety…" Gray muttered, before he was punched in the head by Erza. "What the hell was that for?!"

"Can you idiots stop focusing on who this guy is or isn't and look at the big picture here? Remember what he said about Shisui; he was in Crocus when he was here. That means he might still be there, which means if we go and find him, we can get some answers," Erza explained.

"Absolutely not! None of you will be going to Crocus, and that is final!" Makarov boomed, glaring at everyone in the room.

"Why not?!" Everyone protested.

"It's far too dangerous to let children run about and play detective! At best, the only people who I'd even consider letting go would be Laxus and Gildarts, as they're both S-Class Wizards," Makarov responded.

It was hard to fault Makarov's logic. Laxus and Gildarts were both incredibly powerful, meaning they would be the least likely to get hurt. No-one was happy about being told they were too weak, but it was the right call.

"Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to speak with Porlyusica. I have a feeling I'm going to need something to calm Mirajane down, so she doesn't go into a frenzy and trash the Guild Hall again. We've only just had it rebuilt," Makarov sighed as he headed for the door and left.

"Well, what are you gonna do? The old man said no. C'mon Happy, let's go fishing!" Natsu shrugged.

"Aye, sir!" Happy cried as he and Natsu left together.

"Hey, Erza… Are you buying anything the Master just said?" Cana muttered as she noticed Erza had been squinting suspiciously at the door Makarov had left through.

"I can agree we'd likely get hurt, but… He knows more than he's letting on," Erza mumbled as she wandered off.

Erza wanted answers, and whenever she wanted something, she usually got it.

* * *

"So… You're the one who accepted the contract to clear those Kikimores out of my villa in Fiore?" The Pergrandian Queen Regent asked as she looked at Shisui.

Queen Regent Aya was a woman in her early forties, but could have easily been in her early thirties. She had dark skin, long dark hair that had been braided, and piercing blue eyes. For a woman of her age, she was definitely beautiful.

"Yes, that's right," Shisui nodded. He wasn't really sure what else to say to the Queen Regent.

"Gratitude for your hard work, but what brings you to my home? Senator Metellus tells me you decided to visit these lands out of curiosity," Aya responded, her piercing blue eyes carefully watching Shisui.

"I did, yes… I'm told you're a nation who reveres a large host of Gods. I got curious, and decided to see for myself what such a thing was like," Shisui explained. No matter what, he couldn't let anyone know what he was really here for; he had no idea who was listening.

"Well, after what you did for the good Senator in the market, I have no reason to deny your request to see what my lands have to offer you," Aya shrugged. "I give you free reign of this city to explore at your leisure."

"You honour me, Queen Regent," Shisui bowed.

"Actually, I was hoping you'd take pause and listen to another request I have?" Aya looked at Shisui expectantly.

"Give voice to your request, and I shall see it fulfilled," Shisui nodded.

"I'm impressed, foreigners usually struggle to speak in our tongue, yet you pick it up as if it were new-born child; so easily, and without difficulty," Aya laughed before becoming serious. "Leave."

As soon as the command had left Aya's mouth, everyone in the room bowed and left. It was now just her and Shisui alone together.

"Stop. I know what you're going to ask me," Shisui began as Aya stood up.

"Is that right? Then the floor is yours," Aya replied, sitting back down.

"Yes, I am here to hunt down those who are responsible for kick-starting the War of the Desert Rose a few years ago. I've already found and killed the one they call 'The Eagle' back in Fiore a couple of months ago. He told me, with his dying breath, that the rest of his order were hiding in the shadows of Pergrande, poisoning the nation," Shisui explained.

"You killed Shahkulu? By yourself?" Aya blinked, not sure if she should believe Shisui or not.

"Yeah, but it wasn't a cakewalk. I nearly died when battling him," Shisui muttered.

"How did you kill him?" Aya asked suddenly.

"I found out Shahkulu's greatest weakness was his devotion to your Gods. I simply made it look like I was the Champion of Anubis, who had the ability to summon Apep to this world. Of course, I don't have such a power, but my illusion was enough to make him think otherwise," Shisui explained.

"I see, and what happened to him? Are you sure he's dead?" Aya asked, sitting forward in her throne.

"Uhh, pretty sure, yeah," Shisui responded.

"What does that mean?" Aya raised an eyebrow at Shisui.

"He was gored by a divine spear and a Reaper's weapon. If that didn't kill him, then the fact he was engulfed in a golden light and began to break into pieces should certainly confirm it," Shisui replied.

"I see… Right, I think it's best I tell you this now, so you don't mistake them for the enemy. My late husband and I were also part of a secret organisation, one that was tasked with dismantling the secret organisation that Shahkulu was a part of," Aya stated as she stood up and turned around before taking her robe off to show Shisui a tattoo she had on her shoulder. "This is our mark."

The tattoo was a black, eight-pointed star with a circular pattern in the centre. It wasn't very flashy, but it was certainly distinguishable.

"Everyone in our order has this mark, or the eight pointed star at the very least," Aya stated as she put her robe back on and turned to face Shisui. "We are known as the _Bratva._ "

"Pergrandian for 'Brotherhood'? Interesting," Shisui remarked.

"Oh, you know the word well do you?" Aya asked.

"Shahkulu told me before he died. It's why I came to Pergrande. I can't take these people down on my own. If I'm to have any hope of succeeding, I'll need the support of the _Bratva_ , and all the resources they have," Shisui stated.

"Well, be that as it may, while I am the Queen Regent of Pergrande, I am _not_ the leader of the _Bratva_ ," Aya shrugged.

"Then how do I find your leader?" Shisui asked.

"He will find you… But, if you want to expedite the process… He is known to be partial to Gladiatorial competition. Find your way into a match with a Gladiator in the arena and, if you impress, he should approach you," Aya smirked.

" _IN OTHER WORDS, YOU'LL HAVE TO KILL TO MAKE AN IMPRESSION! I LIKE THIS BROTHERHOOD ALREADY!"_ Sithis laughed darkly.

" _SEND ME THEIR SOULS, AND I WILL HAVE NO QUALMS ABOUT THIS!"_ Exspiravit added.

" _Of course you won't…"_ Shisui muttered.

"Is everything alright?" Aya spoke, breaking Shisui out of conversation with the two Dragons in his head.

"Yes, fine… I think I know how to do this. Thank you, Queen Regent," Shisui bowed.

"Wait, before you go… I have something for you…" Aya stood up and whistled sharply.

A few moments later, through the opening in the ceiling that was used to allow sunlight into the room, an eagle soared down into the room and landed on Aya's outstretched arm.

"An eagle?" Shisui raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, she belonged to my husband. I want you to take her, it'll make it easier for my leader to recognise you as an ally," Aya responded as she clicked her tongue a couple of times and the eagle took off and began to fly around Shisui. "Her name is Senu, and now she is yours to command."

"Senu, huh…? Pergrandian for 'Sister'… Peculiar name for an eagle," Shisui muttered as he put his arm out and Senu floated down and perched on it.

"Now, go. Seek out the leader of the _Bratva_ , and put an end to the scum who are plaguing my nation," Aya flicked her head towards the door behind Shisui; a dark look in her eyes as she spoke.

Shisui said nothing as he turned and left the room with Senu.

* * *

"You're joking, aren't you?" Porlyusica asked.

"No, I'm not. It's spread all over the country. Shisui murdered the Queen of Fiore," Makarov stated.

"And you're absolutely sure about that?" Porlyusica sighed. She didn't really care, but Makarov was still a friend, and she could tell he was greatly distressed.

"I know he was the Colonel who fought those two men, we even spoke at length after he woke up after being in some kind of magically induced coma for three weeks. The assassination appears to have taken place shortly after he left us. Are you saying it's a coincidence?" Makarov raised an eyebrow.

"I don't know, but most armies have more than one Colonel. It could be nothing more than a coincidence," Porlyusica replied flatly.

"The article said they couldn't reveal the name of the officer because he was involved in top secret military operations, Shisui told me he was working on something classified before he left. I'm putting two and two together here," Makarov explained.

"Yes, but are you sure you're getting four instead of five?" Porlyusica snapped.

"I don't know, but I know where he's going," Makarov responded.

"Really, where is that?" Porlyusica asked incredulously.

"Pergrande," Makarov stated.

"Pergrande? What the hell would he go there for?" Porlyusica turned around and looked Makarov with a serious look.

"I don't know. He wouldn't tell me, but I know for a fact that Shisui is somewhere in the Pergrande Kingdom," Makarov said confidently.

"Right, so what do you plan to do?" Porlyusica asked.

"Nothing. Shisui has his reasons to go to Pergrande, and that's not something I wish to get involved in…" Makarov clenched his fists angrily.

"You're close to being done with him, aren't you?" Porlyusica asked quietly.

"I… I don't know. He's definitely troubled, and there's a darkness inside him that seems to be trying to take over. I can't allow him to put the rest of my children in danger, Porlyusica… If I have to cut ties with him to keep the rest safe, then it's a sacrifice I'll have to make," Makarov sighed.

"Look, I can tell you care about the boy… Why don't you try doing some research into why he'd go to Pergrande, and see if you can figure out what he's after?" Porlyusica suggested.

"Yes… I think I'll have to do that. That boy never does anything without a good reason, so I just need to find out what that reason is," Makarov replied.

"Very good… Now get out, and take this. It'll calm that little devil down and stop her from throwing a tantrum and destroying your Guild Hall," Porlyusica said sharply as she tossed a small vial of blue liquid at Makarov, who nodded and left.

* * *

"I don't like this idea," Akane said with a scowl.

"Yes, I heard you the first six times, dear," Shisui sighed, smirking at how Akane was behaving.

After his meeting with Aya, Shisui had returned to Akane to tell her the good news. Akane had particularly liked how Shisui had been given an eagle as a pet. Akane loved birds, especially lethal predators, so it was very obvious she had immediately fell in love with Senu.

The one part Akane didn't like was the idea Shisui had to get the leader of the _Bratva_ to seek him out. The fighting as a Gladiator didn't bother her; there was something about the thought of seeing her man cutting down wave after wave of lethal enemies and being covered in their blood that excited her. No, it wasn't the _what_ he was fighting as that bothered her; it was the _who_ he was fighting for that bothered her.

"I still don't like this idea," Akane huffed as they arrived at their destination.

"Yes, and that is now the eighth time you've told me," Shisui shook his head as he knocked on the door, which was opened by a spindly old man.

"Who are you? Speak, or see tongue parted from mouth!" The old man snapped.

"We come at the request of your Domina; is she home?" Shisui asked, ignoring the old man's tone.

The old man narrowed his eyes and stood to the side and allowed Shisui and Akane to enter. Akane glared at the old man, who returned her glare with one of his own before closing the door and rushing off in front of Shisui.

"Apologies, Domina, but honoured guests have arrived," The old man stated as he entered a room with Shisui and Akane in tow.

"Ah, Shisui, it is good to lay eyes. I must say, I didn't expect you to come so soon," Ambrea smiled as she approached the two. "And I see you've brought your attendant. How… Lovely."

"Attendant?!" Akane shouted, before Shisui turned and looked at her.

"Apologies, the fault lies in my ability not to give proper introduction. Ambrea, this is Akane; my partner," Shisui introduced Akane to the young woman.

"Partner? Oh, my deepest apologies. I forget you are not from Pergrande. Most men of standing usually have attractive female attendants they use for pleasure, and that's about it. I assumed that's all she was for," Ambrea shrugged, which caused Akane's blood to boil.

"No, she isn't my slave. We came to Pergrande together, and we've come here together," Shisui responded.

"So, I am to assume you wish to take me up on my offer from the market earlier?" Ambrea asked as she beckoned her guests to follow her.

"Indeed. I've never fought a Gladiator before. I'd be grateful to you if I were to be given the opportunity to fight one of your own," Shisui stated as they walked out onto a balcony that overlooked a small training ground, that was currently in use.

"Before we proceed, I'd ask you to leave any weapons up here with me. I can't have you killing any of my men," Ambrea explained as the old man who greeted the pair at the door came out onto the balcony with a large silver tray.

Shisui merely shrugged as he reached around to the back of his waist and pulled out the two guns that used to belong to a Reaper, before Freed Sellzen had killed it. He was definitely surprised that Death had let him keep the guns, instead of taking them back.

Down on the sands below, several Gladiators were training hard, fighting both each other, and the blazing heat from the sun.

"I think you'll find my Gladiators to be some of the best in the Kingdom," Ambrea purred as she watched her Gladiators clash.

"I don't doubt it. Senator Metellus speaks highly of your stock, along with the man who trains them," Shisui responded.

"The _Doctore_? He was one of my grandfather's men; a true Titan of the arena," Ambrea answered as she looked down at the man they were talking about.

The _Doctore_ , a name given to the instructor of Gladiators, was a tall, muscular man with very dark skin and a bald head. He wore a leather breastplate, and clutched in his hand was a bullwhip, used to start or end training, or to punish unruly Gladiators.

"Attend!" The _Doctore_ commanded, cracking his whip as he felt the dull grey eyes of his Domina upon him. Upon barking the command, all the Gladiators stopped their training and lined up in a single row.

Right at the end, Shisui saw the Ice Nation warrior who had been bought by Ambrea earlier in the day. His hair had been cut short, and his beard had been shaved.

"What is beneath your feet?" The _Doctore_ asked.

One of the slaves who had been bought alongside the Ice Nation warrior at the market looked confused before speaking.

"Sand?" The slave asked.

"You fucking idiot…" Another slave, this one with short, curly blond hair muttered, quiet enough that only Shisui could hear because of his heightened senses.

"Barca! What is beneath your feet?!" The _Doctore_ growled, his crushing glare never leaving the slave who opened his mouth without speaking.

"Sacred ground, _Doctore_. Watered with our blood and sweat," A tall man with long dark hair spoke up. It was clear to all he was a veteran Gladiator.

"Your Domina has seen fit to bring a guest who believes himself to be a worthy opponent for a Gladiator of this house. Who shall be the one to prove him wrong?" The _Doctore_ asked, getting laughs out of the Gladiators.

"Another one of Domina's bitches who believes they have the cock of Jupiter himself? I shall send him running back to wherever he came from, his ass sore from the fucking I'll give him," Barca declared, getting a roar of laughter from his brothers.

" _Him…_ " Shisui growled. The single word that passed from his lips was quiet, but was spoken like death incarnate.

"Hey, are you ok?" Akane asked, gingerly putting a hand on top of Shisui's fist that was clenching the balcony.

Shisui said nothing, but the glare he gave Akane caused her to gasp. It was like she was looking into the eyes of Satan himself.

Not breaking the demonic look he was giving Akane, he leapt over the balcony and down onto the sands below.

"Someone is going to get their ass pounded, but it doesn't seem to be the Domina's guest…" The Ice Nation warrior whispered to the blond haired man next to him.

"Hold your fucking tongue. Barca is one of the most experienced Gladiators in this house, this man won't last two minutes against him," The blond man grunted.

"Domina?" The _Doctore_ turned to look up at Ambrea, who nodded before tossing something to him.

"You… Put this on," The _Doctore_ commanded.

"What is it?" Shisui growled, still glaring at Barca.

"A Dimeritium Band; it'll cut the flow of–" The _Doctore_ began.

"I know what Dimeritium does. Let's get this thing started," Shisui spat.

"Hold on. Aren't you forgetting something, Shisui?" Ambrea called out.

With a grunt, Shisui stripped off his bracers which had his wrist blades mounted to them and tossed them to the sands.

"Swords!"The _Doctore_ barked as a young man rushed over to a chest to grab wooden practice swords and handed them over to Shisui.

"I shall stick with my spear, _Doctore_ ," Barca commented as he picked up a wooden staff with a blunt point at one end.

"Anything to add before these two begin, Domina?" The _Doctore_ asked.

"Don't kill each other," Ambrea stated coldly, as she waved a hand to signal the fight to begin.

"BEGIN!" The _Doctore_ roared.

Barca immediately lunged at Shisui with his spear, the suddenness of the attack taking Shisui by surprise and hitting him in the ribs with a glancing strike. Had that been a real spear, it would have definitely cut deep.

Barca's attacks were relentless and fast. Shisui was able to deflect each attack easily, but had no chance to turn defence into attack, which was beginning to frustrate him. Shisui was being backed into a corner and it was starting to piss him off.

The other Gladiators looked on with smug grins. This nobody thought he could hold a candle to one of their best Gladiators and now he was being whipped like an animal. Some were laughing and jeering at Shisui's attempts to fight a veteran like Barca.

Shisui could feel rage burning inside him. He knew he didn't have the skills to fight this man toe-to-toe. Gladiatorial combat was something far different to regular combat, and it was something he had never experienced before.

It became apparent to Shisui that he had been lured into a trap. He let this man's insults get under his skin, which caused him to take on a challenge without even thinking about it, or knowing what his opponent was capable of.

Now backed into a literal corner, Shisui had nowhere to go, as Barca used the bottom of the wooden spear to flick sand up into Shisui's face before following up with a hard smack to the face with the spear, knocking him to the ground.

Spitting out a wad of blood, Shisui turned to look at his opponent, who had jumped into the air and thrust the spear down at Shisui, aiming for his chest. Such an attack would be considered a killing blow if it made contact with a real weapon.

As Barca leapt through the air with his spear aimed at his grounded opponent, something snapped in Shisui. Instead of getting up to avoid the attack, he rolled away from it as the spear harmlessly struck the sands. Immediately, Shisui rolled back over, pinning the spear underneath him and swiped at one of Barca's hands with his wooden sword, causing the Gladiator to flinch and release the weapon, which dropped to the ground.

Shisui now stood up and lunged at Barca, who had picked his spear up and swung it at Shisui's head. Instead of making contact with the side of his skull, the wooden weapon passed right through Shisui, leaving a trail of dark blue mist as the spear moved through his head.

Barca cried out in shock as he saw a brief flash of what appeared to be a skull as the attack passed through his opponent. All the other Gladiators watched on in surprise; they saw the attack miss, but they didn't see it pass through Shisui's body.

The rage Shisui had been feeling since he began this fight boiled over inside him as he let out a guttural roar and stomped on the spear, shattering it in half before advancing on Barca. In a feeble attempt to stop the advancing Shisui, Barca threw a punch at him, but Shisui grabbed a hold of the outstretched hand and twisted it around before smashing the pommel of the sword into Barca's nose.

Blood exploded out of Barca's nose, but Shisui didn't stop there. He carried on with his merciless attack, repeatedly smashing the butt of his weapon into the man's face. Dazed and hurt, Barca collapsed to his knees and looked to almost be on the verge of passing out, but Shisui wasn't finished.

"GET THE FUCK UP, MOTHERFUCKER!" Shisui roared as he raised the sword up a final time to strike down his enemy.

As Shisui made the attempt to end his opponent, but found he couldn't move his hand to strike. Looking at his hand, he saw it was ensnared by the bullwhip that belonged to the _Doctore_.

"Enough! The match is yours," The _Doctore_ yelled, releasing his whip's hold on Shisui when he dropped the sword. "Take Barca to the _Medicus_."

At the command, both the blond haired Gladiator and the Ice Nation warrior picked Barca and dragged him off to get medical help while Shisui spat on the sands as he ripped the Dimeritium shackle off before walking off to go back up to Akane and Ambrea.

"I don't know how you managed to best Barca, but I can assure you if this were the arena, not even Amun-Ra himself would have been able to save you from the Underworld," The _Doctore_ muttered as Shisui walked past him.

Shisui simply ignored the man and picked up his bracers before he climbed the side of the villa and jumped back up onto the balcony he had been on before heading down to the sands to fight Barca.

"Well, that was certainly unexpected. You fight like desperate animal, but lack the proper resolve to fight as a Gladiator," Ambrea looked at Shisui, an empty stare clashed with a hard glare.

"Shisui just pounded the living shit out of one of your Gladiators! You think he lacks resolve? What the hell would you know?!" Akane shouted.

"No, she… She's right," Shisui muttered.

"Huh?" Akane turned to look at Shisui, who was now looking at the floor.

"Fighting as a Gladiator is far different to any normal style of fighting. Even a well-disciplined soldier would struggle to fight against a fledgling Gladiator," Shisui whispered, clenching his fists in frustration.

"Smart is the man who understands his limits. Gratitude for the entertainment, but I don't believe the Gods have blessed you with the ability to fight as a Gladiator; as a titan of the arena," Ambrea stated as she turned and walked off.

"You're wrong!" Shisui snapped, causing Ambrea to turn and look at him curiously.

"I still managed to defeat one of your best Gladiators. That shows I am more than capable of fighting – no, _winning_ as a Gladiator in the arena," Shisui replied from behind gritted teeth.

"Very well, I'll take you up on that offer. You may remain here, and learn the art of Gladiatorial combat from Oenomaus, my _Doctore_. It will be down to him, and the Will of the Gods, to decide if you are fit to honour the arena," Ambrea spoke, not breaking her gaze with Shisui. "Leave your belongings up here, and head down to the barracks below."

"What?! Why can't he stay here?" Akane asked, looking angry and confused.

"If I want to understand what it is to be a Gladiator, then I need to be amongst them, Akane. Don't worry, I'll be fine," Shisui stated, doing his best to calm Akane down. "I take it Akane is free to remain here, with you?"

"Of course, she may treat this house as if it were her own," Ambrea nodded. "Guard."

Shisui said nothing as two guards appeared and stood next to Shisui, ready to escort him down into the belly of the beast; the living quarters of the Gladiators.

"Be careful, Shisui…" Akane whispered as she watched him exit through a door on the far side of the villa.

* * *

After his conversation with Porlyusica, Makarov had returned to the Guild Hall and started looking into why Shisui would have gone to the Pergrande Kingdom. After several hours, he heard a knock at his door, which opened before he had a chance to say anything.

"Oh, it's you Laxus. What do you want?" Makarov asked, rubbing his eyes as he looked up at his grandson.

"What have you been doing in here, Old Man? No-one has seen you all day, so I thought I'd come looking for you," Laxus shrugged as he sat down in a chair in front of Makarov's desk.

"Good heavens, is that really the time?" Makarov yawned as he looked at the clock on his desk. He had been here for almost nine hours.

"Books? Have you been doing some research or something?" Laxus asked as he saw the large pile of books on the floor next to the desk.

"Hmm? Ah, yes… I'm trying to figure something out, but it's not making any sense," Makarov sighed as he closed the book he had been reading.

"Pergrande? You thinking of taking a holiday, Gramps?" Laxus raised an eyebrow.

"What? No. I'm trying to figure out why Shisui would go there," Makarov muttered, before realising what he had said.

"Wait, what's he got to do with this?" Laxus gave Makarov a suspicious look.

"Do with what?" Makarov asked.

"Don't play dumb with me, Old Man," Laxus growled.

"Alright, look, I don't know why he'd go there, but when he was last here, he mentioned something about looking for more Dragon Slayer Lacrima, so I thought I'd do some research and figure out where he'd likely go," Makarov explained, surprised at how quickly he could come up with a believable story.

"And you think Pergrande is where he is now?" Laxus asked.

"No, but if this book is to believed, there is a great temple there, dedicated to the 'Twins of Creation', who were supposed to be dragons that were two of five children of the God-King of Dragonkind; Slifer," Makarov explained as he skimmed the book over again.

"So, you think that temple contains these dragons' powers?" Laxus raised an eyebrow.

"I doubt it, but you know Shisui. He's never one to turn down a mystery. It's possible he'll look into it at some point," Makarov shrugged.

"You're just assuming that's where he'd go? What if he does?" Laxus scowled.

"Nothing. As Guild Master, I have a duty of care to all my children. As long as I know where they are, then I will sleep well at night," Makarov responded as he hopped off his chair.

"What? Are you telling me you did this because you're worried about him?" Laxus sneered.

"No, not worried. Concerned. He's been gone for a while now, and we've heard nothing. That's not like him, and I was hoping I could come to some conclusion as to where he is," Makarov stated, nodding as he spoke.

"Tch, you're so soft, Old Man…" Laxus scoffed as he stood up and walked out of Makarov's office.

As Laxus left the Guild Hall, he didn't notice Erza sat alone, reading an article in the newspaper she had been shown earlier that day. This article, however, wasn't about the death of the Queen. It was something else entirely. Something she knew the others _had_ to see…

* * *

Later that night, once she knew everyone who wasn't going to interrupt her was asleep, Erza went and gathered everyone to tell them about the article she had read.

"C'mon, Erza, it's two in the morning," Gray groaned as he rubbed his eyes.

"Shut it, this is important, and I only included you because I know you'd be interested," Erza snapped.

"Wait, is that why we're all here, with the exception of Natsu, Lisanna, Elfman, Laxus and his 'Thunder Legion'?" Cana asked.

Erza had gathered Cana, Levy, Mirajane (with an ounce of difficulty), and Gray; people she knew would be interested in what she had to show them.

"Yes, I only chose to exclude Lisanna and Elfman, because that was the only way to get Mirajane on board, Laxus should be obvious, and Natsu clearly doesn't give a shit," Erza grumbled.

"What did you want to tell us?" Mirajane growled. She clearly wasn't happy about being woken up so early.

"Levy, it's too dark in here. Can you provide some light that's good enough for reading?" Erza asked.

After waking everyone up, Erza had everyone meet her in her room at Fairy Hills. Naturally, she had gone to get Gray first, as he wasn't allowed to stay within the dorms there, being they were for girls only.

"Sure thing. Solid Script; Light!" Levy whispered, as she cast her magic and created the word 'Light', which shone like a low-wattage bulb. It was the ideal light for reading, but also dim enough so no-one would see the light pouring out of the window.

"After we read that article about the Queen being killed, I wanted to see if there was anything else in there that could help me determine who this killer Colonel was, and it led me to this…" Erza opened the newspaper to the back page and pointed to a small article at the very bottom of the page.

' _ **BEWARE THE ARAGAMI! – For the past few weeks, there have been whispers among the citizens of Crocus; a dark presence looms over the city, punishing the wicked at night. This individual stalks the streets at night, hunting and punishing anyone who commits crimes. An eyewitness claims to have seen this being with her own two eyes and had this to say;**_

" _ **I saw it. In the dead of night as I returned home from work, a man attacked me and robbed me of my purse. Within seconds of me crying out, a shadow rose up and incapacitated my would-be robber. The shadow said nothing as it returned my belongings and swallowed the thief up into the shadows, leaving no trace of him."**_

 _ **When asked if she knew how such a thing was possible, the witness responded;**_

" _ **When I was young, my grandmother told me stories about a vengeful Shadow Spirit that stalked the wicked, and punished them for their crimes. Unable to exist within the light of day, the Spirit would rise at night to hunt wrongdoers. The Spirit had a name; Aragami. I am certain that it was the Aragami who saved me that night."**_

 _ **In the wake of chaos for Crocus, will this Shadow Spirit – this 'Aragami' – be a blessing, or a curse for this city? For now, it seems to be a blessing, but how long before it becomes a curse?**_

"Now, who does that sound like to you?" Erza asked, a small smirk on her face.

" _That_ sounds like Shisui," Cana replied, letting out a small gasp of a laugh.

"You really think it's him?" Gray asked. "That Colonel said–"

"That Colonel killed the Queen. It's likely he told us Shisui wasn't there so we wouldn't go looking for him," Mirajane snapped.

' _That was a quick turnaround…'_ Gray sighed.

"Perhaps, but this is definitely worth looking in to," Levy added.

"Agreed, but we can't just up and leave without saying anything. Master Makarov would know what we're up to," Erza stated calmly.

"So, what do you propose?" Gray asked.

"I believe I might be of help there," A voice muttered from the door, which caused everyone to look over and see a dark figure standing there in the open doorway.

Upon seeing the frightening sight, everyone screamed. Erza and Mirajane both grabbed a hold of each other in fear before realising what they were doing, and shoved each other away.

"Calm yourselves, do you want the whole building to discover us?" The figure snapped as they stepped further into the room, where the light from Levy's Solid Script Magic was able to reveal their identity.

"Wait, Freed? What are _you_ doing here?" Cana snapped, her heart still racing.

"I could ask you the same thing, but it seems I already know what you're doing," Freed responded. "Oh, come now. You don't think I didn't notice Gray sneaking through the Guild Hall with you, Erza?"

"What were you doing in the Guild Hall?" Mirajane raised an eyebrow.

"If you must know, Bickslow has an awful habit of snoring while he sleeps. It gets so bad that I have to occasionally seek refuge in the Guild Hall, just to be allowed a bit of peace," Freed sighed, rubbing his face, which now looked exhausted.

"What is it you want, Freed?" Erza asked suspiciously.

"It's not what I want, it's what you want, and it seems you want to go off and look for Shisui," Freed responded as he sat down on the floor with the rest of the children.

"What if we do? It's none of your business," Mirajane hissed.

"Ah, that's where you're wrong, Mirajane. I believe that you'll need my help if you're going to successfully leave for Crocus," Freed responded, wagging a finger in Mirajane's face, which caused her to growl.

"Oh, and what makes you say that?" Gray asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Simple. You all know that the Master will know you've disobeyed him if he finds out you've all left the Guild at once, and with no explanation. You all need a valid reason to leave for Crocus, and I believe I have one," Freed explained.

"You mean everyone is going to be _less_ suspicious if you come along with us? They're not stupid," Cana scowled.

"No, but when they find out what it is that we'll be leaving for, then they'll be convinced," Freed responded.

"And that would be…?" Erza looked at Freed, waiting to reveal his master plan to them.

Freed said nothing as he reached into his pocket, and fished out a piece of paper. He proceeded to unfold it and hold it out under the light for everyone to read.

"A Job Request?" Cana raised an eyebrow.

"Indeed, for a client in Crocus. But look at what the reward is," Freed tapped the bottom right corner of the page.

"What?! You can't be serious!" Erza shouted.

"It seems genuine to me," Freed shrugged.

The reward that was being offered for the advertised job was a Black Soul Gem. A very rare, and incredibly powerful item that can be used to harness the power and energy of souls.

"But… You guys, Black Soul Gems are incredibly dangerous. There's no telling what could happen if you use one," Levy muttered, feeling uneasy.

"Levy is right, even if we use this job request as a way to convince the Master we're not trying to look for Shisui, but to help Mirajane, a Black Soul Gem is not exactly a 'safe' reward," Erza stated.

"Perhaps you're right, but what other choice do we have? I know how desperate you are to go to Crocus, and this might just be the one thing that will allow you to do that without Master Makarov being suspicious of your plans," Freed explained.

They all knew Freed was right. Despite that, they still didn't know why Freed was so willing to help them out in this situation. As far as any of them were aware, Freed and Shisui weren't exactly friends. They were acquaintances due to Freed being friends with Laxus, and both Laxus and Shisui being S-Class Wizards, but that was about as far as things went between them. So what was it Freed wanted?

Erza was immediately suspicious. This was definitely out of character for Freed, and she wanted to know why he was so eager to help them. Maybe it wasn't for their benefit at all, maybe this was all for…

"Did Laxus put you up to this?" Erza asked.

"What? Heavens, no! He has no idea I'm even helping you! What would Laxus stand to gain from this anyway?" Freed asked, taken aback by Erza's interrogative attitude.

"Oh, I don't know, maybe he wants someone to get him a Black Soul Gem so he can give Mirajane her soul back, which will give her back her Take-Over Magic, and he'll look like the hero of the Guild, while Shisui looks like a selfish bastard who doesn't care about her. Stop me if I'm wrong," Erza retorted, narrowing her eyes at Freed.

"Wow, that's actually a good angle…" Freed muttered. "Uhh, but no, that isn't what this is about. I swear to you all, this isn't Laxus' idea, and he has no idea I'm even here."

"Hey, don't be so inquisitive, Erza…" Levy whispered. "I think he's genuinely trying to help us out here."

"Perhaps, but I know what Laxus is like. He'd do anything to prove he's the best, and scummy tricks like this isn't beneath him," Erza responded, her eyes never leaving Freed.

"Forget this! We have an opportunity here! Why are we just sitting around debating this? Let's go already!" Mirajane shouted as she stood up and walked to the door.

"Hold it," Freed ordered. "I'll still need to clear it with Master Makarov first. You know you all can't just tag along on a job. I'll need time to come up with a way to convince the Master that all of you are needed for this job… Especially you, Mirajane."

Mirajane let out a low growl. She knew Freed was right, and she hated it. She was well aware that without any kind of magic, she was more of a liability than an asset.

"Fine. But you had better get your ass in gear and do it quick. I'm not waiting around forever," Mirajane grumbled as she stormed out of Erza's room and returned to her own.

"Right, looks like we're all on board. I'll speak to Master Makarov in the morning; hopefully it won't take much to convince him that you're all needed on this job," Freed stood up and stretched, before turning and leaving the room, gently closing the door behind him.

"Well, that just happened," Cana muttered.

"Yeah, and it was a lot easier than I thought it'd be," Gray scratched the back of his head.

"I know, but the weird part was– Where are your pants?" Cana asked, raising an eyebrow at Gray who was now sat on the floor of Erza's room in just his underwear.

"Oh, come on!" Gray yelled as he stood up and went to go find his pants, which prompted everyone else to get up and return to their bedrooms for the night.

For a few minutes, Erza simply sat on the floor of her bedroom. Deep down, she felt a little bit of excitement. Whether it was because she and her friends were about to embark on a secret mission, or if it was simply because she knew she was going to see Shisui again soon she wasn't sure, but there was definitely a thrill of excitement inside her, and she liked it.

* * *

 **A/N; Right, I had a lot of difficulty trying to write this Chapter, because the more I wrote, the more I realised I was straying away from Fairy Tail and making it more of a totally different story. This arc, while not exactly connected to anything canonical in Fairy Tail, is still relevant to the story as a whole, and will later intertwine with canonical events.**

 **Yeah, it's probably shit, and that's why I compromised and have split the story in two. One half being about Shisui and his character development in Pergrande, and the other half being about the children in Fairy Tail, who are so desperate to see their Dragon Slayer friend again. I figured I may as well start to include them in the story, so it doesn't completely sever the Fairy Tail link.**

 **As for Pergrande itself, I'm trying to blend together Ancient Egyptian, Greek, and Roman Cultures, to give it an 'exotic flavour', so don't be surprised to see links, hints, and nudges at those three ancient civilisations which have appeared in this chapter, as well as future chapters.**

 **Honestly, I just hope this arc is going to be worth it. I'll try make it only a handful of Chapters, and hopefully have this 'Royal Army Arc' all wrapped up in the next 10-15 Chapters (being generous, just for estimation sake). Then I can have Shisui return to the Guild, and maybe have it more of a Fairy Tail Fanfic again. I know it's a pain, but I hope you'll bear with me on it.**

 **Lastly, I'm gonna try (operative word being 'try') and write a lemon or two down the line. Kinda to see how I do, and to see how you all like it. If you don't like it, I'll simply mark where it begins, so you can skip it.**

 **Also, please leave a review so I know how you guys feel about the story so far. It's difficult to write if I don't know what you guys are thinking/feeling. Thanks in advance to those of you who do leave reviews.**

 **One more thing; if you guys haven't clued in on it by now, Akane Hiyama isn't my own character, she's actually from an Anime called 'Renai Bokun', or 'Love Tyrant'. I suggest you check it out, because it's hilarious. Also, yes; I have a thing for redheads (Oooh, spoilers for future pairings?), in case you didn't know already.**


	13. Bratva

Chapter Thirteen – Bratva

A week later, those who had met in Erza's room were now in Crocus, accompanied by Freed Justine of Laxus' Thunder Legion.

Everyone was astounded that Freed had managed to convince Makarov to let them go on this job with him, and everyone spent the entire journey to Crocus trying to get him to reveal how he managed to get Makarov to say yes.

Of course, Freed wasn't about to admit that it took him two solid days of pestering the Fairy Tail Master, literally begging the old man and kneeling at his feet in an attempt to make him give in. Freed was mostly certain Makarov said yes just to get him to stop. He wasn't ashamed to admit to himself that his last resort would have been tears.

Despite the _real_ reason the children had come to Crocus for, they still had a job to do and it was Freed's decision that they should go and meet with the client first, so they didn't look unprofessional, or tarnish the name or reputation of the Fairy Tail Guild.

"Ah, look. That must be her over there," Freed spoke as he broke the silence in the group as they saw a woman standing outside a store. The woman noticed the group and saw the Guild Marks they had.

"I take it you're the Fairy Tail Members who accepted my job request?" The woman asked as Freed approached her.

"Indeed we are. I am Freed Justine. This is Erza Scarlet, Gray Fullbuster, Cana Alberona, Levy McGarden, and Mirajane Strauss," Freed replied as he introduced his Guildmates to the woman.

Erza noticed the woman did something of a double-take when Freed pointed at Mirajane. She thought it was odd, but when she looked over at Mirajane and saw she had a dark scowl on her face, Erza scowled and punched Mirajane in the arm.

"Ow! What the hell was that for?!" Mirajane yelled.

"Stop scowling. We're here to do a job too, you know," Erza snapped.

"Don't you start with me, bitch! I'm not in the mood!" Mirajane growled.

"Dark Ecriture; Silence! Paralysis!" Freed shouted, as he drew his Rapier and drew the symbols of both words before hitting Erza and Mirajane with them.

Immediately, the pair found it was impossible to talk or even move. They both shot a dark glare over at Freed, before glaring at each other.

"I'm terribly sorry; those two have no sense of decorum. They're no better than wild beasts," Freed sighed, bowing to the woman.

"They are spirited, that's for sure. Oh, I should probably introduce myself; Lucy Thorne, a pleasure," Lucy extended a gloved hand to Freed, who took it and shook it.

"A pleasure indeed, Miss Thorne. Now, what is this job you need doing? To be offering up a Black Soul Gem, it must be dangerous. I'm surprised you didn't make it an S-Class Job Request," Freed pulled out the piece of paper, and handed it to Lucy.

"Originally I was going to make it so, but my business partner, Mr. Starrick, explained it would be more productive not to make it S-Class Rank. He said it would expedite the request being accepted by someone, and it would allow those who may be looking to become an S-Class Wizard to try their hand at a job of that calibre," Lucy explained.

"So, it's this Mr. Starrick guy who is offering this Black Soul Gem?" Gray asked.

"Yes, that's correct…" Lucy looked at Gray before she turned to Freed. "Mr. Justine, why is your friend naked?"

"For God's sake, Gray! Can you not keep your pants on for more than five minutes?!" Cana yelled as she picked up Gray's jeans and threw them at his face.

"I'm sorry, Miss Thorne. They're a dysfunctional bunch, but I can assure you they're the best Fairy Tail has to offer," Freed bowed in apology.

"Is that right? You know, I once met someone from your Guild several months ago. A few years older than you and your friends, very serious for someone his age," Lucy mused.

"Did he dress in full black and carry a giant sword on his back?!" Levy shouted, eager to have Lucy confirm her hopes.

"Indeed he did. Shisui, I think was his name," Lucy muttered as she tapped her chin.

"That's him! Do you know where he is now?!" Cana exclaimed.

"I'm afraid not. He was interested in finding out more about a Dragon Slayer Lacrima he had, but that was it. I don't know where he is now. I am sorry. Anyway, back to business," Lucy shrugged as she turned back to the original point of conversation.

"Indeed. What is it we are needed to do?" Freed asked.

"You want that Black Soul Gem as a reward, don't you? Well, you're job is to fill it," Lucy stated as she tossed a large black crystal at Freed, who caught it and looked at it.

The crystal was about ten inches long and four inches thick. It wasn't heavy, but Freed knew the object he was given was incredibly powerful.

"This is…" Freed muttered.

"Yes, a Black Soul Gem that has no soul inside it. If you want your reward, you'll have to work for it," Lucy responded.

"How exactly are we supposed to do that?" Gray asked, looking noticeably confused.

"If you want to utilise the Black Soul Gem's full potential, then you'll need to fill it with an appropriate soul…" Lucy explained. "How you do that, is up to you."

Without another word, Lucy Thorne turned and walked off, leaving the children on their own.

"Uhh, Freed… Don't you think you should let them go…?" Cana muttered, jerking a thumb over her shoulder to Erza and Mirajane, who were still under the effects of Freed's Magic. The pair of them were staring death at Freed.

"Oh, umm… Indeed. I should, ahem… Yes," Freed mumbled nervously, going very pale as he saw the death glare he was getting from the two teens.

With a snap of his fingers, the spells of 'Silence' and 'Paralysis' were lifted from Erza and Mirajane, and the pair of them stomped over to Freed as Mirajane punched him in the face, while Erza took the empty Soul Gem from him before he collapsed.

"He deserved that," Gray whispered to Levy, who simply nodded her head.

"Idiot… Now, how do we fill this Soul Gem?" Erza asked, as she inspected the dark crystal.

"Uhh, guys… I think we've been tricked," Levy gasped as she flipped through the book she brought with her.

"What? Why?" Erza snapped, turning to look at Levy, who jumped at the glare Erza gave her.

"W-Well… I decided to bring a book that would help us understand Soul Gems, and how they work, and, well… Black Soul Gems only accept one kind of Soul," Levy explained, stumbling over her words as she flicked through a few more pages.

"Please don't tell me it's a Dragon's soul…" Gray sighed, sounding defeated.

"No, it's much worse. Black Soul Gems can only accept _Human Souls_. Guys, in order to fill this Soul Gem, we need to harvest a Soul from a Human…" Levy whimpered, dropping the book due to her hands shaking uncontrollably.

"Wait, do you mean…" Mirajane began, looking at Erza.

"Yes… We'd have to kill someone…" Erza finished, a grave look on her face.

"Is that what she meant when she said this would prove if we were ready to be S-Class Wizards?" Cana asked, referring to the point Lucy Thorne had made to them just before.

"I think so… Assassination Contracts haven't been outlawed by the Magic Council, so people still offer those sorts of jobs to Wizards. I would imagine you'd need to have the right mettle to kill someone, which is probably the same kind of mettle needed to be an S-Class Wizard," Erza reasoned.

"Nah… Nah, I can't do this. I can't kill someone. I'm not that sort of person," Cana stated, holding her hands up and backing away.

"None of us are, but I think I know someone who is…" Mirajane mumbled.

"Who? Shisui? No way! He might be able to slay monsters, but he's not a killer!" Cana protested.

"I wasn't talking about him…" Mirajane responded, giving Cana a sharp look. One that said 'How dare you call Shisui a killer'.

"You're talking about the Aragami, aren't you?" Erza asked.

"Yeah… You got it," Mirajane nodded.

"Wait, what? I'm confused. Can someone tell me what's going on?" Gray asked.

"The Aragami is punishing bad people. Perhaps he can help us fill this Soul Gem. That way, we complete the mission, and we find the Aragami, which is why we came here in the first place. We won't have to kill anyone," Erza explained.

"Yeah, but isn't Shisui this Aragami? He wouldn't kill someone just to fill a Soul Gem," Gray responded.

"If it is Shisui, then he'll know of a way to help us without killing anyone. If it's not, well… At least it's from someone who deserved it," Mirajane shrugged.

"Well, someone's definitely thinking like an S-Class Wizard…" Cana sighed as she accepted she was now involved in this. Were it not for the possibility that the Aragami guarding Crocus was Shisui, she'd have already been out of there and returning to the Guild Hall.

"Someone pick up the sleeping moron. We have a job to do," Mirajane commanded, kicking the unconscious lump that was Freed on the floor as she walked off. Everyone followed suit and walked off, stepping over Freed, leaving only Gray behind.

"Oh, come on! Just because I'm a guy doesn't mean I should have to do all the heavy lifting!" Gray yelled at the girls, grumbling as he grabbed Freed's collar and started dragging him down the street.

* * *

It had been two months since Shisui had begun his rigorous training to become a Gladiator, in the hopes of seeking out the leader of the _Bratva_ and getting the chance to join their ranks so he could reduce Shahkulu's allies to rubble.

In that time, Shisui trained diligently, under the watchful eye of Oenomaus, and the sting of his whip. But he had certainly improved. Barca and the other veterans of Ambrea's house still refused to accept him as a brother, but he had managed to find a couple of Gladiators he could call friend.

The first was the Ice Nation warrior who started his training alongside Shisui. Eventually, Shisui learned the name of the _Azgeda_ man; Roan. It took a couple of weeks, but Shisui managed to get Roan to tell him how he came to find himself as a slave in Pergrande.

From what Roan had told Shisui, he was captured as he tried to fight off a squad of soldiers who had marched on the Northern Continent. _Azgeda_ Law was such that any outsider who wandered into their territory would be put to death upon sight. Unfortunately for Roan, he was overpowered and captured.

Shisui had been able to confirm that someone within the Pergrandian Senate was definitely sending soldiers out to other nations to capture warriors, but without access to more reliable sources, Shisui had no idea who that person was.

The second man Shisui had befriended was the blond haired man who helped Roan carry Barca to the _Medicus_ after Shisui nearly beat him to death with the practice sword. His name was Varro, and he was a free man who willingly sold himself into slavery so he could repay his debts from gambling. Shisui couldn't understand why Varro would do such a thing, but when he found out Varro had a wife and a son, Shisui understood why he'd willingly become a slave, and somewhat respected him for it.

For the past two months, Akane had been beside herself with worry as she spent all day on the villa's balcony watching Shisui train, wincing every time Oenomaus cracked his whip over Shisui's back.

Ambrea had taken an interest in Shisui's training, especially since he was progressing at an incredible pace, but she spent most of her time attending to private business either in the city, or in her office. Akane had reluctantly agreed to being the 'Steward' of the villa while Ambrea was away, but one thing that made Akane suspicious was the fact that in the two months she had been living in the villa, she had never seen this husband that Senator Metellus had spoken of the day they arrived in Halicarnassus.

As soon as the sun had reached the highest point in the sky, Oenomaus cracked his whip, a signal to the Gladiators to stop training.

"Rest. Eat, drink. We continue training one hour after midday sun has passed," Oenomaus barked as he coiled up his whip and made his way off the training ground.

"You fight like a madman, who is out for blood," Roan laughed as he approached Shisui.

"I suppose I do, but I need to be ready to fight in the arena as soon as possible. I've already wasted too much time here" Shisui sighed as he dropped the wooden swords.

"Well, you fight as if you were the Lady of Slaughter herself," Varro said as he brought his new found brothers water.

"If it gives me a chance to fight in the arena, I'd gladly fight Sekhmet myself," Shisui laughed as he downed the water in one go.

"Tell me, Shisui, why are you so eager to fight upon the sands of the arena? You are no slave, yet you wish to die like one?" Roan asked as the three men all sat down in the shade.

"I'm looking for someone who might be able to help me with something… I'm told he likes to watch matches in the arena and uses those fights to recruit people he deems worthy," Shisui explained.

"Does this have anything to do with… What we discussed previously?" Roan asked, lowering his voice slightly.

"Indeed. I believe he is the only way to getting the answers I seek," Shisui responded, voice lowered too.

"Perhaps I should try and get the attention of this man myself, find a way to be free of these shackles and return to _Azgeda_ ," Roan chuckled dryly.

"You seek freedom too, Varro, do you not?" Shisui turned to look at the blond man, who nodded.

"Yes, should the God's be kind and grant me my desires. I would see myself in arms of loving wife, and embrace of loved son," Varro responded, looking up to the heavens.

"So let's get ourselves a spot in the next games. Surely, if we can prove to Oenomaus that we are ready, we will get picked," Roan stated, slapping Shisui on the chest.

"I fear it is not that simple. Getting picked isn't going to cut it. From what I've heard, very few people watch the 'lesser Gladiators' fight. Everyone comes for the _Primus_ in the evening," Shisui sighed. "We are still not experienced enough to be chosen…"

"How do you know that?" Varro asked.

"His woman, Varro. She lives up in the Villa as a guest of Domina. It was her who gleaned this knowledge to you, no?" Roan asked.

"It was. I'm sure she just wants me to be out of her as soon as possible though," Shisui shrugged.

"What the fuck is this?!" A gladiator roared from the other side of the training grounds, as cheers erupted from other gladiators.

"Barca's pissed in the soup again…" Roan muttered, rolling his eyes.

"You have our gratitude for saving us from the same fate as that poor bastard," Varro nodded at Shisui.

One of Barca's favourite things to do to the new recruits was to be kind and offer them food to regain their strength after working so hard during the day. The catch was that Barca would usually take a piss in the food, and watch as the new blood ate it.

Shisui, however, managed to avoid such humiliation, and spare Varro and Roan from it too because of his heightened sense of smell. The scent of piss within the food was strong, and Shisui was no idiot.

At first, Varro and Roan thought Shisui was trying to mess with them, to make them skip eating so he would have the advantage after they had rested, but when one gladiator kicked off over it, they discovered Shisui wasn't trying to trick them, and that helped them both trust the young man.

"Yeah, well I think I have just found our ticket to the _Primus_ …" Shisui muttered as he watched the angry gladiator get beaten up by Gnaeus and Auctus; two of Barca's closest friends.

* * *

"Gladiators! Attend!" Oenomaus roared, cracking his whip to signal the end of training. "The Games of Cyrenaica fast approach, and with it a chance to honour this house, and the Gods."

"Anyone who dishonours this house will not only feel the sting of _Doctore's_ whip across their backs, but the sting of my cock as I ram it into your ass!" Barca shouted, getting laughs from his brothers.

"Barca! Now is not the time for such things," Oenomaus snapped. "In two days, your Domina will announce who fights in the arena, and those who shall honour this house in the _Primus_."

"Whatever your plan is, I hope it will take less than two days to see it bear fruit," Varro whispered.

"No, this is perfect… But I need to see Akane for it to work…" Shisui muttered, looking up at the vacant balcony of the villa, where Akane would spend most of her days watching Shisui train.

"Well, it looks like the Gods have seen fit to grant you what you desire," Varro muttered as he saw a guard from the villa come down to the training ground and waited until Oenomaus had finished with the gladiators.

"These games are not only important for the honour it will bring this house, but the Queen Regent will be watching, along with most of the Senate. Fight as if Mars himself were at your back, and you might find yourself honouring this Kingdom by serving as one of its protectors. As a _free man_ ," Oenomaus explained.

The mere mention of freedom was enough to excite the men into a frenzy of cheers and roars, all claiming they shall be the one who becomes a free man, fighting as a soldier of Pergrande. The excitement died down in seconds, after hearing the crack of a whip.

"That will be all. Return to your cells," Oenomaus commanded as he turned and walked off the sands. It was at that moment, the guard from the villa approached Shisui.

"You have been summoned," The guard stated, trying to make his words sound important.

Shisui said nothing as he walked past the guard and waited for him by the gate that would take him up the stairs to the villa. The guard let out a sharp grunt as he turned and went to unlock the gate for Shisui.

Shisui was escorted up to the villa and went to find Akane. He could hear her voice on the other side of the villa, so he followed the sound of her voice. Out of all the things he expected to find Akane doing, lying in a pool while three of Ambrea's female attendants washed her was not one of them.

"Well… You seem to be getting used to things here," Shisui said as he leaned on the wall near the entrance to the room, arms folded across his chest.

"This wasn't my idea. Ambrea simply told the girls to treat me as if I were her," Akane responded.

"Ambrea? So, you've finally found tongue to speak her name with?" Shisui raised an eyebrow.

"Ok, so maybe she's not the bitch I thought her to be, especially since she's not ogling you like a horny schoolgirl," Akane shrugged.

"Well, that figures…" Shisui sighed. "Look, I have a plan that will help us get what we're after."

"Really? Tell me more," Akane purred as she stood up from the water she was bathing in.

That moment was the first time Shisui had seen Akane completely naked. There had been times back in Crocus where he had gone to see her and she told him to enter her room while she was only wearing her underwear, but this was different. Now, he was able to get a _real_ look at her body.

Akane's body was still wet from the bath she had been in, which gave it a somewhat 'divine glow'. Her crimson hair was tied up in a loose bun, with a few strands of hair falling free down to her large breasts. As Akane approached Shisui, she made the extra effort to swing her hips as she walked.

Before Shisui could say anything, Akane silenced him with a deep kiss; her tongue forcing its way into his mouth. While she was kissing him, Akane grabbed Shisui's hand and placed it on her ass, which Shisui grabbed instinctively, causing Akane to moan slightly as they were kissing. Akane decided to return the favour as she slowly put her hand down Shisui's pants and started to play with his hard dick.

Shisui grunted and squeezed Akane's ass harder, which caused her to gasp slightly as she broke the kiss, leaving a trail of saliva between them. Akane's breathing was laboured, and her face had started going red.

"I… I want…" She breathed while she still had her hand down Shisui's pants. "Fuck me. Now."

Grabbing her by the shoulders, Shisui turned Akane around and pushed her into the wall and starting to kiss her neck. His right hand found its way to Akane's large breasts and began to gently massage her left breast, his fingertips gently pinching her nipple and making it harden as he played with it, a soft, low moan escaped from her lips as she felt her body starting to tingle. His left hand had slowly moved down her stomach and in between her thighs, her hot, wet folds dripping with lust and excitement.

Using two fingers, Shisui gently rubbed the outside of her lips, covering his fingers with her warm, wet nectar. Shisui stopped kissing Akane's neck for but a moment as he put his fingers in his mouth and tasted Akane's fluids. Immediately after he took his fingers out of his mouth, Akane grabbed the collar of his jacket and kissed him, forcing her tongue into his mouth, desperate to taste herself in her lover's mouth. As they continued to kiss, Shisui put his hand back down in between her legs and pushed two fingers inside her dripping wet folds, which sent a jolt throughout her body, and caused her knees to buckle slightly.

Akane's body was getting hotter by the moment and she was moments away from climaxing when she heard the one thing she did not want to hear right there and then.

"Akane, I have need of your – Oh… Apologies, I seem to have come at a bad time," Ambrea gasped as she saw the naked form of Akane being pressed up against the wall by Shisui, his fingers still inside her.

"At least someone did…" Akane muttered. Shisui looked up at Akane and saw fury and frustration in her eyes.

"What did you want Akane for?" Shisui asked, turning to look at the Pergrandian woman, while using his body to shield Akane from prying eyes.

"Ah, of course… It was actually you I needed. As you know, the Games of Cyrenaica are upon us, and I have managed to secure the _Primus_ for the games. The only stipulation I have been given is that all combatants are to be from my own house. I'm sure you know what that means," Ambrea explained as she turned and walked off.

Shisui was about to follow suit, before he felt Akane grab his wrist and tug at it, pulling him towards her, where she lifted his hand up and started sucking on the fingers he had put inside her, which were still dripping wet.

Shisui didn't move while Akane was sucking on his fingers, and the moment she stopped, she quickly grabbed his face and kissed him, pushing her tongue into his mouth, so he could also enjoy the taste of her nectar.

"To be continued…" Akane purred, as she gently bit Shisui's ear before she turned and went off to find some clothes to change into.

"Shisui?" Ambrea called out, wondering why he hadn't followed her into her office.

"Apologies, Akane was just saying goodbye to me before she went to get dressed," Shisui responded as he walked into the office.

"Indeed… As I was saying," Ambrea began, giving Shisui an odd look.

"Yes, I know what you mean. In order to secure the _Primus_ for the upcoming games, you're willingly sacrificing some of your own Gladiators at the hands of their fellow brothers," Shisui responded.

Part of Shisui felt angry at how Ambrea was acting. It was as if she didn't care her own Gladiators would be killed. To her, they were nothing more than simple playthings; toys she could replace the moment they broke, with coin that she inherited, not earned.

"Rightly so, and in the final match, it's to be a three on three fight to the death. No mercy, no chance for survival," Ambrea stated, her cold grey eyes staring at Shisui's gold eyes, his blazing with anger.

"And you allowed this? You're willing to lose three to five Gladiators in a single fight, and for what?" Shisui growled.

"Allowed it? You mistake my words. I was the one who decided on this kind of match for the end of the games," Ambrea responded emotionlessly.

"Have you completely lost your mind?! How many of your Gladiators, no… How many _people_ are you willing to sacrifice to get what you want?" Shisui shouted, slamming his fists onto the desk in front of him.

"As many as it takes," Ambrea replied, regaining her composure after flinching at Shisui's outburst. "Which is why I've decided you and those slaves you call 'friend' will be fighting as one of those three man teams in the _Primus_."

"Who? Roan and Varro?" Shisui asked.

"Aren't you perceptive?" Ambrea sneered. "Now, Shisui, let _me_ ask _you_ ; how many people are _you_ willing to sacrifice to get what _you_ want? As you three will be facing Barca, Gnaeus, and Auctus."

" _IS THIS NOT WHAT YOU WANTED, BOY?! A CHANCE TO CRUSH THAT VERMIN IN THE ARENA?!"_ Sithis growled.

Shisui ignored Sithis, but knew the Devil Dragon was right. He wanted to grind Barca into the dirt, this time, without being stopped by the whip of Oenomaus. But he didn't want to risk Varro or Roan dying in the process. He knew they were capable warriors, but what would he say if Varro died because of a mistake he made? His family would be all alone, and they would become the target of Varro's debt collectors. And what of Roan? He was kidnapped and taken from his home. Did his family know what happened, or did they just assumed he had been killed?

"Find voice, and give answer to my question!" Ambrea snapped, waking Shisui up from his daze.

"I wouldn't let innocent people die just to get what I want," Shisui responded, looking Ambrea in the eye.

"I wonder, how long will you cling to foolish sentiment before it crushes you?" Ambrea muttered.

Shisui said nothing as he left Ambrea's office, to return to the cells below the villa. Akane heard the entire exchange, and she wasn't the least bit impressed with what she had heard. She knew that Shisui would never harm someone who didn't deserve it. He was someone who fought to protect the innocent, or to avenge them. That was the whole reason they were in Pergrande; to avenge Akane's mother and younger sister.

She desperately wanted to chew Ambrea out for being a cold-hearted bitch, but she didn't want to risk Shisui coming under fire for her actions. She also wanted to chase after Shisui and make sure he was alright, but she wasn't allowed beneath the villa (as per orders from Ambrea). Akane was torn and hated the idea of doing nothing, and it just served to upset her. So, with her being able to do nothing, Akane simply retired to her room and tried to sleep without letting her frustrations boil over in the form of tears.

* * *

"Oh, man, it's freezing!" Cana shuddered as she walked down the street with the rest of the members of Fairy Tail who went to Crocus.

"I think it's quite brisk," Gray muttered as he followed Cana.

"That's because you're naked. Again," Freed sighed as he threw Gray's clothes at him.

"It's too hot with those clothes on. Forget that," Gray huffed.

"How can you say that? It's snowing!" Levy cried, holding her hands out and letting a few snowflakes gently fall onto her palm, before melting away.

The gang had been in Crocus for the past two months, and they had nothing to show for it. They all knew an Aragami was a Shadow Spirit, and that meant they'd have to do some research into what it is and what it can do, because if this Aragami was indeed Shisui, then they knew he'd be able to perfectly replicate its mannerisms and habits, being an expert on Post-Conjunction Creatures.

With that in mind, Levy volunteered to do some research into Aragami, while Freed took it upon himself to look into how a Soul Gem worked. Even with all that knowledge, they hadn't been able to find where the Aragami lurked at night.

The most important detail about Aragami was that it cannot survive in light. Any kind of light can weaken one, and if there's enough light, the Aragami can be banished back to the Shadow Realm, from where it was summoned.

This meant the only opportunity the children had of catching the Aragami was at night, and so they spent most nights out in the city of Crocus, hoping to come across something that would lead them to the Shadow Spirit that protected Fiore's capital. So, here they were, wandering the streets of Crocus in the middle of the night.

"Levy is right… It is starting to get cold, even for me…" Erza mumbled as she stopped before she held out her arms, making a T shape. "Requip!"

Erza became engulfed by a bright red light as she changed outfits. When the light died down, Erza had swapped her usual breastplate for a black winter jacket, that had grey fur around the hood and sleeves.

"Ahh, that's so adorable, Erza! Where did you get it?" Cana gasped in shock as she looked at Erza's new jacket.

"I had it custom made, like most of my outfits. Come here, you'll like this," Erza smirked as she held out her arms to gesture for Cana to hug her.

"Huh? I don't understand why – Ohhh, my God! This is amazing!" Cana breathed as she hugged Erza.

Erza's winter coat had Tephrite weaved into the lining, and it acted as a magic heat conductor. This caused Erza's coat to radiate heat, and anyone who touched her or the jacket would feel the warmth it gave off.

"What? What's happening?" Levy asked, clearly intrigued.

"Here, you try it, Levy!" Cana urged as she broke the hug, which she now realised wasn't a smart idea, as she felt the cold sting of the winter air.

"Ahh, this is wonderful… Where can I get one like this?" Levy asked as she snuggled up to Erza and her jacket, her face flushing with warmth as she pressed against the material.

"That's a secret, I'm afraid…" Erza muttered.

Erza wasn't about to admit to the others that she had used Tephrite for one of her items. Everyone knew Shisui used Tephrite in his weapons, and some of his armour. She didn't want anyone else knowing she began using it because of him.

"What's it made out of, huh?" Mirajane asked, narrowing her eyes.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Erza sneered.

"Yeah, actually, I would. So tell me," Mirajane replied.

"Tch, not likely. I bet you want one for yourself," Erza scoffed.

"As if! I don't want your stupid jacket!" Mirajane shouted, as she spat on Erza's coat.

That action caused the penny to drop. Erza looked down in shock and disgust as she saw a thick wad of saliva running down her coat. There was a tightness in Erza's chest as her eyes began to sting and water.

"I… You…" Erza whispered, looking down at the ground, her hands were shaking with uncontrollable rage. "I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU, BITCH!" Erza screamed as tears began to fall from her eyes while she held out her left hand and summoned a sword to attack Mirajane with.

Unbeknownst to Erza, her screaming threat had been heard by more than just Mirajane and her Guildmates. That was how she found herself lying down in the snow, face to face with a masked being with pure white eyes.

"Holy shit! What the hell is that thing?!" Gray yelled as he watched Erza get planted on her ass by this being which appeared out of literally nowhere.

The being was humanoid in form, but its actions were anything but. The moment Erza screamed bloody death at Mirajane and tried to attack her, the creature seemed to just appear and it grabbed Erza's sword arm with one hand and grabbed her by the throat and shoved her down into the snow with the other hand.

As the thing stood crouched over Erza's body, pinning her down in the snow, its features became more noticeable. It was definitely human in form, but it wore black clothing, boots, and gloves, while it wore a red hooded cloak and an black facemask. On the back of the cloak were multiple patterns and magic runes.

"Guys, that's the Aragami!" Levy shrieked as she realised they had found the thing they had been looking for, or rather _it_ had found _them_.

"Freed! Get the Soul Gem ready!" Gray shouted as he sprang into action. "Ice Make Lance!"

The Aragami simply dodged the attack by using the shadow it and Erza had created in the snow by liquefying and melding with the shadow. Seconds later, it sprung up in front of Gray and kicked him in the stomach, sending him flying back into a wall.

"Gray!" Freed shouted in shock. He had never seen anything move so fast, not even Laxus.

"Wait, I know how to stop it!" Levy shouted. "Solid Script; Li-mmmphhh!"

As Levy was about to banish the Aragami with a burst of light from her Solid Script Magic, the Aragami dived into Freed's shadow and rose up out of Levy's, clamping a gloved hand over her mouth, which prevented her from summoning the light.

Erza watched in a daze from her backside in the snow, watching as the shadowy creature was picking apart her friends, as if it were telegraphing all of their moves. That gave her an idea.

"Mira! Use your Take-Over Magic, transform into something that emits light!" Erza yelled.

"What? Did you hit your head or something when you got knocked over?" Mirajane asked, with a raised eyebrow.

Erza ignored her remark as she watched the Aragami. It didn't even acknowledge Mirajane's presence. Now, it was time for her plan to move into Stage Two.

"Cana, now you! Use your Card Magic to summon some light!" Erza shouted, standing up.

"Uhh, right!" Cana stuttered, before reaching for her bag which contained her cards.

Before Cana could use the cards she had in her hand, the Aragami leapt across the street and towards Freed, slashing out at the cards in Cana's hand with a short sword that was kept in a scabbard and tied around its waist with red cloth.

Cana cried out in shock and dropped the bifurcated cards and watched them flutter to the snowy ground before turning to see the Aragami grab Freed by the throat and slam him into the snow, whilst crouched over him.

"Where is it?" The Aragami growled, it sounded like a man.

"Wh-What…?" Freed choked, looking into the white eyes of the Shadow Spirit.

"The Soul Gem you carry; where is it?" The Aragami hissed, increasing the pressure he was putting on Freed's throat.

"Don't say anything, Freed!" Gray yelled, groaning as he stood up.

"Even if he wanted to, he can't! The Aragami is crushing his throat!" Levy gasped.

"WHERE IS IT?!" The Aragami roared, picking Freed up and throwing him into a nearby building.

As Freed collided with the wall, a large black crystal dropped out from inside his coat and landed in the snow with a dull thud. Cana tried leaping on the gem, but the Aragami swallowed it up with shadows, and transported it into the air above his hand, and allowed the gem to fall out of the void and into the outstretched hand.

"Where did you get this?" The Aragami asked, looking at the children.

"None of your business!" Mirajane shouted.

"Do you even know what this is?" The Aragami looked at Mirajane, his piercing white eyes unsettling her.

"It's a Black Soul Gem," Erza responded.

"So, you know what it is… Then you must know what it can do," The Aragami turned his attention to Erza, who tensed up.

"I know it… It can only hold a soul… Of a human," Erza replied, struggling to talk under the Aragami's crushing gaze.

"And do you know the cost of using a Black Soul Gem?" The Aragami asked.

"There's a cost?" Levy asked.

"You children are meddling in something very dangerous. It may cost you your lives, if you're not careful," The Aragami hissed, looking at the children who were surrounding him.

"I don't care. I only came here for one reason…" Mirajane whispered.

"To die?" The Aragami hissed.

"No. To see the only person who has ever cared about me. To see the only person who has treated me like I'm a human," Mirajane breathed, her hands starting to shake.

"Mira…" Cana whispered.

"Shisui… He promised me he was going to help me get my soul back. But he's gone and I don't know where he is," Mirajane continued, shuddering as tears ran down her cheeks.

"So you're willing to risk your life over someone that made a promise to you?" The Aragami responded.

"No! I am willing to risk my life to get my soul back so he can finally come home! I am willing to risk my life so that he doesn't lose his!" Mirajane yelled, scrunching her eyes shut in a feeble attempt to stop herself from crying even further.

"Why would you go to such lengths for someone?" The Aragami asked, looking at the crying girl.

"BECAUSE I LOVE HIM!" Mirajane screamed before she collapsed into the snow, sobbing loudly.

The Aragami watched the sobbing girl before him as he looked at the Black Soul Gem, his white eyes being reflected by the blackness of the crystal.

"Love…" The Aragami whispered. "You'd sacrifice a human soul and create a binding contract with the Ideal Masters because of love?"

"What the fuck would you know? You're just a fucking shadow! You have no heart! You don't know what love is!" Mirajane yelled as she continued to sob.

No-one really knew what to say. Mirajane's declaration of love for Shisui had completely derailed everyone's trains of thought. No-one could have anticipated that Mirajane would confess she was in love with Shisui. Even the Aragami stood there silently, his blood red cape blowing in the gentle wind.

"Listen to me, girl… The Ideal Masters care not for love, nor affection. They care only for souls, and going down this path will ensure you end up trapped within the Soul Cairn for eternity when you die," The Aragami growled.

"The Soul Cairn? What's that?" Freed asked, finally recovering from his earlier impact with the wall.

"It is the place all souls go when they arrive in the Underworld. From there, they are either returned to the Cycle of Rebirth, banished to Hell, or allowed passage to the Heavens. It is a desolate wasteland, where those foolish enough to trifle with the Ideal Masters are sentenced to toil for eternity. It is a place worse than Hell…" The Aragami explained.

"There's that name again; The Ideal Masters. Who are they?" Levy asked. "I've never heard of them, and they're not mentioned in any book."

"You are playing a very dangerous game, children. The Ideal Masters crave souls, and will deceive those foolish enough to enter into a contract with them just to steal their soul. The reason they don't appear in any of your books, is because only those who have made deals with them, or have been to the Soul Cairn know of their existence," The Aragami warned.

"So how do you know of them?" Erza asked.

"I think you can answer that question yourself, girl," The Aragami retorted.

"So, you made a deal with the Ideal Masters, and they cheated you?" Gray asked.

"That is what they are known for, boy…" The Aragami stated.

"You just said those who get involved with the Ideal Masters end up trapped in the Soul Cairn. If that happened to you, how are you here?" Levy asked.

"What am I, child?" The Aragami asked, sighing slightly.

"You're a Shadow Spirit…?" Levy responded, not sure what she was being asked.

"Right, and what is a spirit?" The Aragami continued.

"A soul that has been brought back to the plain of existence, usually through a summoning of some kind," Levy explained, as the pieces began to fit together. "Someone summoned your soul from the Soul Cairn!"

"You must be the brains of the group," The Aragami muttered.

"So, who summoned you?" Erza asked, who had been trying to console Mirajane after she burst into tears.

"I… I don't know. Someone who knows what they were doing, or someone who has had an interaction with the Ideal Masters in the past," The Aragami muttered.

"What makes you say that?" Cana asked.

"Because they used a name that is spoken only in hushed whispers among the prisoners within the Soul Cairn, for the Ideal Masters punish those who utter it," The Aragami explained. "Listen, if you want to use this Black Soul Gem to restore your friend's soul, then I shall help you, but there is something I want from you in return."

"And that would be…" Erza asked.

"All in due time… Do we have a deal?" The Aragami turned his back on the children.

"Fine, we have a deal. So, how do we use the Black Soul Gem to restore Mirajane's soul?" Erza asked.

"You don't," The Aragami said sharply.

"What?! You lied to us?!" Erza shouted, summoning her sword to her side.

That response was the incorrect one. In the time it took Erza to blink, the Aragami had covered the distance between them, and was now standing behind Erza, with his blade to her throat.

"You need to stop being so bull-headed and listen. It might one day save your life," The Aragami hissed, holding the blade close to Erza's neck. "You can't restore your friend's soul. It has been banished to the Soul Cairn. Now, I could very well return and get it, but time flows differently there. You could all have turned to dust before I returned from the Soul Cairn with it."

"So, how exactly are you going to help?" Freed asked.

"Simple, I will sacrifice part of my own soul to fill the Black Soul Gem so your friend can have a soul again. The exchange will be permanent, and the Ideal Masters will not touch her," The Aragami stated.

"And why is that?" Freed raised an eyebrow.

"Because of the name used by the individual who summoned me back to this world," The Aragami responded.

"Who was it that brought you back here, Aragami? Who's name could frighten these 'Ideal Masters' of whom you speak of," Erza asked.

"The Lord of the Soul Cairn; Exspiravit."

* * *

It had been a week since Shisui learned he would be fighting alongside Varro and Roan in the final match of the Games of Cyrenaica, against Barca, Auctus, and Gnaeus. He knew this would be his one and only opportunity to get the attention of the leader of the _Bratva_ , as this was a fight he could not lose. A loss would mean death, and death would be the end of everything.

Shisui had spent the past week training alongside Varro and Roan, trying to devise the perfect strategy to defeat Barca and his brothers. The day before the games, Shisui had been travelling to Cyrenaica, another city within the Pergrande Kingdom, and had used this time to further go over strategy and combat scenarios. He felt ready, and confident.

The day of the games had passed quickly, with several matches being over with a single strike. The matches that take place before the sun has set are usually of little interest to the crowd, so no-one watching was particularly bothered or interested at how quickly the fights were concluded.

Shisui sat in the underbelly of the arena, and could smell the corpses that had been dragged off from the sands and dumped in a small room underneath the arena. The odd thing was that he didn't find the odour repulsive at all. It barely phased him.

" _I SEE YOU HAVE A STOMACH FOR DEATH, BOY!"_ Sithis roared in approval.

" _What? It's never bothered me. Why would it start to now?"_ Shisui asked, but received no response from the Devil Dragon.

The _Primus_ had been underway for a few hours, and the last fight had concluded a few minutes ago. Shisui knew it was almost time for him to take to the sands, along with Varro and Roan in what was to be the fight of their lives.

From his place behind one of the arena's gates, Shisui heard the roar of the crowd die down. It was time to begin the announcement of the final battle.

"This fight will be your last. You will either become free men, no longer bound as a slave, or you will be sent to Hades," Oenomaus said as he approached the gates just behind Varro and Roan.

"No pressure then…" Varro whispered, inciting a nod from Roan.

"Barca, Gnaeus, and Auctus are all dangerous on their own, but as a trio, they are far more deadly. Use everything that I have taught you, and you might be lucky enough to survive, should you be blessed by Lady Fortuna," Oenomaus continued.

"Let me ask you something, _Doctore_. Do you agree with the actions your Domina has taken? To pit brother against brother in a fight to the death?" Shisui asked, turning to look at the veteran Gladiator.

"No. Her actions bring shame upon this house, and shame upon me, for it is my instruction that is being shown by these Gladiators, and they are being cut down. The child brings shame on the hard work her Grandfather put in to make this house one of honour, deserving of respect. Her actions spit upon that very honour," Oenomaus said through gritted teeth. Despite his position as a slave, it was apparent to Shisui that Oenomaus was proud of the house he belonged to, and the legacy on which it had been built. "The time for talk has since passed. Prepare yourselves, for Barca will show no mercy."

"Nor shall I…" Shisui growled as he turned to face the gates once more, and looked upon the sands on which he was about to do battle.

"Good people of Cyrenaica! Today, we have seen contest upon these sands that honour not only the Gods, but the houses from which each Gladiator represents, be it victor or loser!" Senator Metellus shouted, to an approving roar from the crowd. "But now, we have a bout that eclipses all others! A clash between six Titans, that would see the heavens tremble!"

"Senator Metellus certainly knows how to incite a crowd," Shisui muttered.

"To be expected, given his position as Senator," Varro responded.

"And to introduce these warriors, these beasts… Our beloved Queen Regent, Aya!" Metellus yelled, earning an even louder roar from the crowd.

"My fellow Pergrandians, it brings me great honour to announce the combatants who will honour the Gods by spilling blood in their name!" Aya declared, receiving a cheer from the spectators.

The gates began to unlock, and Shisui could hear the sound of chains moving around him as the gates slowly began to swing open.

"This final match is one that will honour the Gods, and as such, there will be no mercy shown, no quarter given. The only way this fight will end is if all combatants on one side have been killed. On one team fighting for one of Pergrande's favoured daughters, Ambrea, are three Champions of the Arena, hailed as Titans of Halicarnassus! Enter; Barca, Gnaeus, and Auctus!" Aya shouted, pointing to a gate on one side of the arena, inciting a loud roar of approval from the crowd as three heavily armed men stepped out onto the sands; one with a spear, another with a net and trident, and one with a sword and a square shield.

Shisui knew the one with the sword and shield was Auctus. While he was just as skilled as Barca with a spear, it would have been suicide to have all three of them using long range weapons. All it would take to end them would be for someone to get in close, and they'd be defenceless. Auctus was going to be their guard, and keep their opponents at bay. For this fight, Auctus was fighting as the _Murmillo_ Class of Gladiator.

Barca, however, was fighting under the _Hoplomachus_ Class of Gladiator. He was armed with a six foot long Hasta, and a short sword, with a small circular shield in his off-hand. This allowed Barca to be a formidable opponent at both short and long range, provided he could rapidly swap between sword and spear.

Armed with a net and trident, Gnaeus was clearly fighting as a _Retiarius_ Class Gladiator. The net was used to ensnare opponents, so they could easily be gored by the deadly trident the _Retiarius_ carried.

"These three Gladiators – these Titans of the Arena – shall face another trio of blood-thirsty warriors from their very own house! Brothers fighting against brothers to the death! Enter; Varro, Roan, and Alexios!" Aya shouted, which caused the crowd to start booing and yelling obscenities as the trio walked onto the sands.

"Alexios?" Varro looked at Shisui, who simply shrugged.

"It seems our friend has someone who doesn't want his true identity being revealed…" Roan muttered, watching as Shisui put his helmet on.

For this fight, Shisui was fighting as a _Dimachaerus_. Armed with two swords and a _Galea_ , a helmet styled similar to that of a Centurion, he also wore a leather chest piece and bracers made of golden metal. As per the rules, Shisui had removed his wrist blades for the fight and was given a Dimeritium shackle to wear to cut off the flow of his Magic Energy. Shisui noticed how old and damaged it was the moment he was given it.

Varro was armed to fight against Gnaeus as a _Secutor_ , a specialist Gladiator class created to fight and counter the _Retiarius_. Armed with a large rectangular shield and a Gladius, Varro looked similar to Auctus, with a few variations in the armour, like the helmet, which was fully armoured except for two narrow eyelets to protect against the trident of the net-wielding Gladiator.

Roan was his team's 'tank' for this battle. Heavily armed, he was fighting under the _Samnite_ class of Gladiator; a heavily armoured warrior with a rectangular shield and a war axe that was sharp and heavy enough to cleave through armour, if swung with experienced hand.

As the six warriors stood on the sands, they all awaited the Queen Regent to shout the word for them to start spilling blood.

"BEGIN!" Aya roared, slamming a fist onto the concrete balcony of the stand she was in, cracking the stonework ever so slightly.

Immediately, the six warriors split off into three separate groups. Roan against Auctus, Varro against Gnaeus, and Shisui against Barca. This was exactly what Shisui had told Roan and Varro to do, as he wanted to face Barca alone, and he knew how to fight against a combatant who favoured a spear, thanks to his fight with Shahkulu. But it was instruction from Oenomaus that taught Shisui how to fight against a spear in the hands of a Gladiator.

Using his hasta, Barca lunged at Shisui, and found his attack easily parried by the two swords his opponent wielded. Grunting, Barca launched a flurry of quick strikes against Shisui, all of them being parried or dodged. Barca gritted his teeth as he began another sequence of attacks, ending with the bottom of the spear being swung through the air in an attempt to strike it down on Shisui's helmet, which would stun him and leave Barca a clear opening to strike.

That, unfortunately for the Gladiator, didn't come to pass, as the stunning attack was deflected by an upward swipe from one of Shisui's swords, which made the light end of the spear bounce off the sword and send a powerful vibration through the shaft of the weapon.

The only way Barca could counter the shockwave that was travelling down his spear and into his body was to relinquish his spear, and let it drop to the sands. Immediately, Shisui was upon Barca, thrusting one of his swords at Barca, aiming for his gut.

Barca, however, was ready for Shisui and pulled his short sword to deflect the attack. The point of Shisui's blade did nick Barca and managed to leave a shallow cut. Shisui had taken first blood, and that pissed Barca off, but was met by a roar of approval from the crowd.

In Varro's confrontation with Gnaeus, he was faring well against the net and trident of the _Retiarius_. As much as he tried, Gnaeus couldn't get his net to find it's mark, as it would harmlessly slip off the helmet Varro had on. While he hadn't been able to land a definitive hit, he was still holding his ground well, and that was beginning to frustrate Gnaeus.

Roan was standing up to Auctus much better than anticipated. The war axe he used was able to cleave through the scale-mail armour that covered his right arm, cutting Auctus' arm badly. Without the armour, Roan would have easily cut his arm off at the elbow.

The crowd were now cheering in favour for Shisui and his allies, and that fact wasn't lost on Shisui. The crowd were incredibly fickle and could turn on you in an instant.

"This _Dimachaerus_ is a good find, Your Majesty. Where did you find him?" A man who was sat next to Aya spoke. He was wearing an expensive suit and had several rings on his fingers.

"I didn't. Ambrea did," Aya stated, flicking her head over to the woman who's Gladiators were now down on the sands, slaughtering each other.

"Ah, I see… Then I believe I should direct previous question to you," The man muttered, looking Ambrea in the eye.

"He is a mercenary. He was looking for a way to make extra coin, so I offered him to fight in the arena for suitable prize purse," Ambrea responded emotionlessly.

"And you said his name is Alexios?" Metellus asked as he watched 'Alexios' dodge an attack from Barca, who had managed to pick up his spear again.

"Indeed, that is what he calls himself," Ambrea responded, as she watched her Gladiators continue fighting down on the sands.

As the sextet continued to fight, Barca took pause and whistled, which got a nod out of his allies. Both Auctus and Gnaeus broke off from their fights and turned to attack Shisui together. The sudden shift took all three of them off guard, and now Shisui was on the back foot, defending against sword and trident, but quickly became overwhelmed.

Barca stood back and began to fight both Roan and Varro simultaneously. As a veteran of the arena, Barca was more than enough to fight against the duo without becoming completely overwhelmed. No matter how hard they fought, or how well co-ordinated they were, neither Varro nor Roan could land a hit on their opponent.

Shisui was beginning to get more and more agitated. This was not part of the plan he had constructed. Shisui could feel his body heating up as he became angrier at himself as it dawned on him that he had fallen into Barca's trap. He wanted to isolate Shisui from Varro and Roan so he could kill them before tearing strips off of Shisui.

Using one of his swords, Shisui deflected a strike by Gnaeus as he attacked Auctus, only to have his sword clang uselessly off the large shield. Ahead of him, Shisui could see Varro and Roan were in trouble. He watched as Barca swiped his spear horizontally, cutting Varro's chest open, spilling his blood upon the sands to the roar of the crowd, but Roan used his shield to block the swipe.

The attack cost Varro dearly. He dropped his sword and was now defenceless. Roan took it upon himself to defend Varro until his sword-brother was able to take up arms again.

Auctus noticed Roan was too busy defending Varro from Barca to be aware of anything else, so he quickly broke away from Gnaeus and went to attack them from behind. Shisui tried to step in but was blocked by Gnaeus, who wasn't about to let him pass easily.

Shisui's anger was starting to get the best of him and it felt like his body was on fire. He wasn't thinking, but he did notice the Dimeritium shackle was glowing bright red, and that was something Shisui could tell was unusual. He still kept fighting, and was getting bogged down by the trident his opponent was using, until…

 _Clink._

Shisui had deflected the trident improperly and one of the points connected with the Dimeritium shackle and snapped it off.

Immediately, a massive explosion of crimson fire engulfed Shisui, driving him to his knees as he let out a roar of pain of anger. Gnaeus took a step back as the Magic Energy burned like Hellfire, which burned his left arm as it came into contact with him.

Within the tempest of crimson fire, Shisui was now on all fours, retching and coughing like an animal. He looked up at Gnaeus and everyone could see half his face had taken on a demonic transformation that was burning with flames.

Letting out a shocked yell, Gnaeus stepped back once more, but was gored by a flaming sword that had appeared out of nowhere, held by a giant, flaming spectral hand. Some of the crowd cheered at the sight of a Gladiator finally falling, but others booed as it was clear Magic was being used.

" _BROTHER, WHAT DID YOU DO?!"_ Exspiravit shouted at Sithis.

" _WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?"_ Sithis growled.

" _THAT MAN'S SOUL… I CANNOT FIND IT!"_ Exspiravit exclaimed.

" _WHAT?! YOU LOST HIS SOUL?!"_ Sithis roared in surprise.

" _NO! I AM THE LORD OF SOULS! NO SOUL SHOULD PASS BY ME WITHOUT MY NOTICE! WHAT DID YOU DO?!"_ Exspiravit accused.

" _WATCH YOUR TONGUE, BROTHER! YOU THINK I, THE LORD OF THE VOID, WOULD STEAL SUCH A PATHETIC SOUL?! EVEN IF I DID, YOU WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SENSE IT!"_ Sithis roared in fury.

" _NO! THE SOUL HAS BEEN COMPLETEY CUT FROM EXISTENCE! BROTHER, IT IS HAPPENING! WE MUST ACT… NOW!"_ Exspiravit boomed, his voice sounding noticeably shaken.

As Sithis and Exspiravit were arguing, the hellfire began to completely engulf the right side of Shisui's body. Letting out a demonic roar, Shisui held out his right hand and summoned a flaming sword; the same weapon that had hit Gnaeus and killed him. The giant hand now moved as if it were Shisui's and as Shisui stabbed forward into thin air, the giant spectral sword mimicked the action, but it managed to spear Auctus from behind, which also killed him and destroyed his soul.

Everyone watched on in horror as the crimson inferno grew by the minute, and the fire on Shisui's body continued to spread, now covering half his body in a hellish, demonic form. As Shisui advanced on Barca, who was backing away in fear, Shisui stopped in his tracks, letting out an anguished roar as a pair of dragon wings sprouted from his back, followed by two bursts of light; one pale green, the other deep crimson.

As the lights escaped Shisui's body, they began to take shape. The shape of two massive dragons. Each dragon was holding a black chain in its mouth, which they began to wrap around the hellish beast that was trying to take over Shisui's body.

Everyone in the arena watched in awe as the two dragons began to bind the hell-beast with the black chains, which stopped it in its tracks, causing the demon to thrash about in anger.

"Dragons? Are you fucking kidding me?!" Metellus shouted in horror as he and everyone else watched the Spectral and Devil Dragons make an appearance in the arena.

"Two mighty dragons… Incredible…" The man who had been sat next to Aya muttered in awe.

The black chains were slowly starting to stop the demon's corruption from spreading, causing it to start receding, but the sword and spectral hand still remained. The flaming eye of the monster locked on to Barca, and with a small flick of the sword, was able to command the large spectral sword to slash Barca, cutting him in two from his left shoulder to right hip, and also cut his soul from the plane of existence.

As the last of the demon began to vanish, the beast looked up directly at two people who were on the balcony with Aya and roared at them before it completely vanished, causing Shisui to collapse with the chains still binding him.

The two dragons were stood on opposite sides of the arena and when they saw Shisui collapse, and the wings recede, they both nodded and released the chains and returned to Shisui's body.

"That was incredible!" The man shouted, laughing as the arena was almost silent. "Ambrea, I would like to make purchase of that man you call 'Alexios'. He would make fine addition to my ranks."

"He is a mercenary, you can't purchase him like common slave…" Ambrea scoffed.

"Ten thousand Drachma for the man, and his two friends," The man replied, getting a gasped cough from Senator Metellus.

" _T-Ten thousand_?! Have you taken leave of your senses, Anatoli?!" Metellus choked.

"Not at all. This Alexios would be perfect for my ranks. And his two friends seem like they could be useful too," Anatoli waved a dismissive hand. "What say you, Ambrea?"

"Deal has been struck, Anatoli. I will have the men transported to your villa once proper paperwork has been complete…" Ambrea stated as she stood up to leave, somewhat shaken by the events that transpired.

* * *

One week had passed since the event in the arena, and Shisui woke up to find himself in a bed in a dark room, a small window on the opposite side of the room being the only source of light coming in from outside.

With a groan, Shisui rolled over and found all his gear was in the corner of the room. His clothes he had worn in Crocus, his sword, the Reaper's guns… Even the Hiyama Clan's cape Akane had given him on the night of her eighteenth birthday, which felt like an age ago.

There was one more thing that Shisui saw, but he didn't recognise; a compound hunting bow, with a quiver filled with arrows. Shisui was about to sit up when he heard a noise from outside the room. It was a voice, which was followed by the sound of a door opening and closing.

A few moments later, the door of Shisui's room opened up and two men stood on either side of the door, while a third man entered and stood in the middle.

The man in the middle was of average height and looked to be in his late forties or early fifties. He had short brown hair that was starting to grey, and a thick brown beard. He wore a black suit and had several rings on his fingers, which were currently wrapped around the handle of a cane.

"Ah, good… You are finally up. I think it is time you and I speak," the man stated as he walked over to Shisui's bed, and sat on the corner.

"Who are you? Where the hell am I?" Shisui asked.

"Calm yourself, Shisui… I know you must have many questions, but allow me to explain first…" The man continued. "My name is Anatoli Knyazev, and I am the Leader of the _Bratva_."

"The Bratva…?" Shisui muttered, shaking his head. "So, you're the man Aya told me about."

"Indeed, and I must say; you put on excellent showing in the arena. Everyone was terrified!" Anatoli laughed.

"The arena…?" Shisui mumbled.

No matter how hard Shisui tried, he couldn't remember anything from his fight in the area. The last thing he remembered was Gnaeus shattering his Dimeritium shackle with his trident.

"It appears your memory is foggy. Worry not, for it might return with time. I am to understand you wish to join _Bratva_?" Anatoli asked.

"Yeah… I hear you're the guys fighting against some secret organisation here in Pergrande. I wish to help," Shisui responded.

"Mhmm… Yes, Aya told me of how you defeated that renegade, Shahkulu; the fucking cunt who murdered Bayek, who was not only our King, but one of my closest allies," Anatoli growled. "Well, after killing him, and what you did in the arena, I cannot refuse such a powerful ally. If you wish to join us, then I shall accept."

Shisui simply nodded and stood up, making his way over to his gear.

"Ah, yes… Ambrea had all your items sent over to me. It wasn't easy, but we managed to avoid detection. Everyone thinks I merely purchased you from her," Anatoli explained.

"Wait, 'we'?" Shisui asked as he picked up his sword.

"Yes, did you not know? Ambrea is _Bratva_ too. One of my finest Captains, if I do say so myself. She is also a very trustworthy and respected Captain too," Anatoli laughed.

"No, I didn't know…" Shisui muttered as he holstered his guns into the holsters on his legs.

"Mmm, she isn't one who trusts so readily. She thought she could do that with family, and that turned out horribly," Anatoli said absent-mindedly. "Ah, apologies. Perhaps we should get down to business. After your showing in the arena, and with a little help from Aya and Ambrea, everyone thinks you are Alexios, a mercenary who was purchased by me."

"But the truth of the matter is…?" Shisui asked.

"You are now _Bratva_ Foot Soldier. You will work with us, in the shadows to dismantle this secret order who have designs on Pergrande. Your first task will be your initiation. We have captured one of the enemy, a man known as 'The Hippo', but we know his as the Royal Scribe; Eudoros," Anatoli explained as he and Shisui left the room and walked down a narrow, dimly lit corridor.

"Wait… The Hippo was the man who organised the kidnapping of Princess Hisui from Fiore, in order to start the War of the Desert Rose," Shisui stated, remembering the files he had acquired from Athena, which reminded him…

Shisui opened his jacket and opened a secret pocket on the inside of his jacket and put a hand inside it. A small clinking could be heard as the two mysterious Gate Keys he owned hit each other, but what Shisui wanted was at the very bottom of the pocket…

"Here it is…" Shisui muttered as he removed a small triangular device and attached it to his ear. Immediately, the Focus turned on and began displaying the files he had opened from the last time he used it. "Yeah… The Hippo was the one who told The Ox what to do to start the war between Fiore and Pergrande."

"Rightly so, and I believe you should be the man to interrogate him," Anatoli explained as the turned a corner and walked down another corridor, this one having two armed guards outside the end room.

Without a word, one of the men opened the door and allowed Shisui and Anatoli into the room, which was a prison cell. Inside, there was a man lying on the floor, beaten and bloody.

"Eudoros… Since our attempts to make you talk have failed, I have decided to bring in a specialist, from Fiore…" Anatoli grinned. "I'll leave the rest up to you, Shisui."

Anatoli exited the room, leaving Shisui alone with the man known as The Hippo.

"So… You're the one who started this whole thing…" Shisui muttered as he walked around the man who was on his knees looking up at him.

"Who the hell are you? Some pathetic brat from Fiore… Go home boy, this is not the kind of game you want to play!" Eudoros spat, trying his best to look intimidating, but failing.

"No, this is _exactly_ the game I want to play!" Shisui hissed, grabbing the man by the face, squeezing his cheeks together. "Now, tell me… Who is the man you call 'Master'?"

"Go to Hell…" Eudoros mumbled, his words distorted because of how Shisui was clutching his face. "I am the Royal Scribe! I am the law here! My organisation is a giant that cannot be toppled. You cannot hope to take us down!"

Shisui looked at the man with a hard glare. Then he looked at the tattoo on his forearm, and instantly had an idea.

"You're the law here, are you? You're part of an indestructible giant, huh?" Shisui asked as he showed Eudoros his tattoo. "Look at this. Do you see this sawblade? Where I come from, the saw is the law! When there's no hope left, we will not fall! Even among the giants, we will not fall, and we cannot be stopped!" Shisui roared before punching Eudoros in the head. "Who do you work for?! TELL ME!"

"The Lion will destroy you, boy! You know not the reach or influence of our power! You will be killed, and the Master will succeed in his plan to rule Fiore _and_ Pergrande!" Eudoros growled.

"So, that's his plan…? To destroy Fiore and Pergrande, and rule them both?" Shisui chuckled mirthlessly. "Let him try, because I will not rest until I find every member of your order… I will not eat, I will not sleep, not until the bodies of your allies lie dead at my feet, and I have your Master by the throat and make him answer for his crimes!"

Before Eudoros could reply, Shisui pulled out the Devil Dragon Gun and fired two shots into Eudoros; one in the heart, and one in the head. The bullets drilled into his body before stopping and exploding inside it. The skull exploded and showered blood, bone fragments, and brain matter everywhere. The bullet that was fired into his chest blew a massive hole in his chest, causing a mist of blood to erupt into the air as the heart was vaporised upon detonation of the bullet.

"That is one more person who has paid for taking Akane's family from her…" Shisui muttered as he placed his gun back into the holster on his leg. Immediately after, the door swung open to reveal Anatoli, who was grinning from ear to ear.

"I knew you were something special!" Anatoli laughed. "I heard that piece of shit say everything. You managed to find out what their end goal is, and for that, you pass."

"You mean…?" Shisui asked, wiping the blood from his face.

"Welcome to the _Bratva_ ," Anatoli beamed, holding out a hand, which Shisui took firmly.

Shisui was now a Foot Soldier for the _Bratva_.

* * *

 _ **A/N; And done. Finally finished this Chapter, and I'm quite happy with how it turned out. Hopefully it's added more mystery to the story, like what is the Aragami, and how did Exspiravit summon it to Crocus? Read on and you'll find out.**_

 _ **To be perfectly honest, the whole Aragami scene didn't go the way I had planned, but I'm happy with the outcome, especially with Mira's little… Confession. I wonder how that will change the scope of things for the future…?**_

 _ **I can't really remember most of the stuff I put in, but I think I teased a sex scene in this one? Hands up, who was disappointed Akane and Shisui were interrupted? Well, I'm not about to give you a full-on sex scene immediately after suggesting it in the last Chapter, you've gotta work for it.**_

 _ **Lastly, someone asked me to tell them if Erza and Shisui end up in a relationship… How about no?**_

 _ **I will not reveal any future relationships to you guys, because then it spoils the story later. You wanna know who Shisui gets with? Keep reading. I don't kiss and tell, and I sure as shit don't reveal spoilers, especially in my own damn story. I might tease, but I don't reveal.**_

 _ **That's it, now off you go into the big, scary world of 'Reality', until I call on you again to read my next Chapter.**_

 _ **Goodbye.**_


End file.
